community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Danforth, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.8 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Danforth?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Danforth, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi W, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 1 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 Danforth
Mostly: Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Danforth ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 52nd | 58th | 48th |
| Maine | 60th | 54th | 61st | 88th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 69th | 57th | 77th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Danforth: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Vanceboro 22 mi · Mattawamkeag 25 mi · Island Falls 31 mi · Houlton 32 mi · Oakfield 33 mi · East Millinocket 34 mi
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 Danforth (45.6596, -67.8683); 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.