community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Monument Beach, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: cranberries (nearest 0.4 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Monument Beach?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monument Beach, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Cranberries: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Monument Beach
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Monument Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 70th | 69th | 76th |
| Massachusetts | 89th | 65th | 96th | 98th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 54th | 46th | 67th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Monument Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bourne 1 mi · Buzzards Bay 3 mi · Pocasset 3 mi · Onset 4 mi · Forestdale 5 mi · North Falmouth 6 mi
All towns in Massachusetts · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Monument Beach (41.7189, -70.6); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.