community in New York
Honey bee forage in Chautauqua, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (56th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi SE); soybeans (nearest 2.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chautauqua?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chautauqua, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Aug (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 Chautauqua
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Open water; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi NE; open water 0.22 mi NE.
How Chautauqua ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 36th | 56th | 51st | 56th |
| New York | 20th | 32nd | 20th | 56th |
| Erie Drift Plain | 6th | 20th | 4th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Chautauqua: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mayville 3 mi · Bemus Point 5 mi · Sherman 7 mi · Westfield 9 mi · Panama 10 mi · Lakewood 11 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 Chautauqua (42.2101, -79.469); 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.