community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Mars Hill, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mars Hill?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mars Hill, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, 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 Mars Hill
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; open water 0.09 mi NE.
How Mars Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 48th | 70th | 77th |
| Maine | 88th | 39th | 92nd | 97th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 92nd | 40th | 96th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Mars Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blaine 1 mi · Presque Isle 13 mi · Fort Fairfield 17 mi · Mapleton 17 mi · Caribou 22 mi · Washburn 23 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 Mars Hill (46.5192, -67.8697); 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.