community in New York
Honey bee forage in Brookhaven, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: peaches (nearest 2.8 mi N); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 3.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brookhaven?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brookhaven, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Peaches: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi N, blooms early Apr – late Apr
- Popcorn and ornamental corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi N, 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 Brookhaven
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi NE; open water 0.28 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Brookhaven ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 82nd | 67th | 75th |
| New York | 86th | 94th | 61st | 95th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 64th | 71st | 59th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Brookhaven: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shirley 2 mi · North Bellport 2 mi · Bellport 2 mi · Mastic Beach 4 mi · Mastic 4 mi · East Patchogue 4 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 Brookhaven (40.7767, -72.9078); 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.