community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Grand Isle, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in summer and fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Grand Isle?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, clover/Wildflowers, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grand Isle, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, clover/Wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, mustard, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Mustard: about 43 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms late May – late Oct (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 Grand Isle
Mostly: Unmapped; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE; open water 0.12 mi SE.
How Grand Isle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 41st | 78th | 95th |
| Maine | 97th | 15th | 99th | 99th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 98th | 12th | 99th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Grand Isle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Madawaska 9 mi · Van Buren 14 mi · Fort Kent 20 mi · Eagle Lake 28 mi · Limestone 31 mi · Caribou 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 Grand Isle (47.3074, -68.1587); 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.