community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in South Duxbury, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Massachusetts. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Massachusetts sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: cranberries (nearest 1.8 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in South Duxbury?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Duxbury, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NW, 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 South Duxbury
Mostly: Open water; Aquaculture; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 66% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How South Duxbury ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 78th | 68th | 73rd |
| Massachusetts | 96th | 88th | 95th | 95th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 90th | 86th | 89th | 94th |
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 South Duxbury: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Duxbury 2 mi · Kingston 2 mi · North Plymouth 3 mi · Green Harbor 4 mi · Cedar Crest 4 mi · Plymouth 4 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 South Duxbury (42.0181, -70.6897); 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.