community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Lake Arrowhead, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 3.2 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Lake Arrowhead?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Arrowhead, 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 20.
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, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Apples: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi N, blooms early May – late May
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 Lake Arrowhead
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Pine-(Oak) Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.13 mi E; open water 0.13 mi E.
How Lake Arrowhead ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 54th | 57th | 61st |
| Maine | 64th | 60th | 56th | 94th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 33rd | 8th | 56th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Lake Arrowhead: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cornish 10 mi · Standish 11 mi · Steep Falls 11 mi · Kezar Falls 12 mi · Alfred 13 mi · Gorham 15 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 Lake Arrowhead (43.6617, -70.742); 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.