community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Provincetown, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 6% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it ranks highest in fall (48th percentile) and lowest in spring (3rd). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Provincetown?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Provincetown, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Provincetown
Mostly: Open water; Barren; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Maritime Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.02 mi E.
How Provincetown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 6th | 3rd | 9th | 48th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 5th | 10th | 13th | 24th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Provincetown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Eastham 18 mi · Orleans 21 mi · Brewster 21 mi · East Dennis 22 mi · Dennis 23 mi · The Pinehills 24 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 Provincetown (42.0564, -70.1786); 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.