community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Ware, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Massachusetts. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Massachusetts sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ware?
- 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 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ware, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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
- Corn: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
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 Ware
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi S.
How Ware ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 45th | 65th | 52nd | 54th |
| Massachusetts | 45th | 48th | 45th | 51st |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 42nd | 45th | 44th | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Ware: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Warren 2 mi · Warren 4 mi · West Brookfield 5 mi · Palmer Town 5 mi · Brookfield 8 mi · Belchertown 8 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 Ware (42.2501, -72.2477); 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.