city in Maine
Honey bee forage in Saco, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (76th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Saco?
- 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))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Saco, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), garden flowers; 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early 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 Saco
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Northern Appalachian-Acadian Conifer-Hardwood Acidic Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W.
How Saco ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 62nd | 64th | 68th |
| Maine | 88th | 85th | 76th | 96th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 58th | 32nd | 76th | 81st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Saco: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Old Orchard Beach 3 mi · Dunstan 3 mi · Oak Hill 6 mi · Biddeford 6 mi · South Portland 10 mi · West Kennebunk 11 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 Saco (43.528, -70.4196); 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.