community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Madawaska, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Madawaska?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Madawaska, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-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, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, clover/Wildflowers; extra 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Madawaska
Mostly: Unmapped; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.21 mi NE.
How Madawaska ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 44th | 73rd | 74th |
| Maine | 87th | 28th | 95th | 97th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 92nd | 26th | 97th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Madawaska: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grand Isle 9 mi · Fort Kent 13 mi · Van Buren 22 mi · Eagle Lake 24 mi · Limestone 38 mi · Washburn 39 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 Madawaska (47.3424, -68.3334); 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.