community in New York
Honey bee forage in Brighton, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in New York. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other New York sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 3.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brighton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brighton, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March 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
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Brighton
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Brighton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 85th | 79th | 87th |
| New York | 98th | 97th | 90th | 99th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 96th | 96th | 72nd | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Brighton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nazareth College 3 mi · St. John Fisher College 4 mi · Pittsford 4 mi · Rochester 4 mi · East Rochester 5 mi · Rochester Institute of Technology 5 mi
All towns in New York · National map · How the scoring works
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 Brighton (43.1185, -77.581); 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.