community in New York
Honey bee forage in Copake Falls, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in summer (76th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Copake Falls?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Copake Falls, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 194 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 30 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late 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 Copake Falls
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NE; open water 0.18 mi SE.
How Copake Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 61st | 72nd | 54th |
| New York | 60th | 47th | 76th | 52nd |
| Northeastern Highlands | 79th | 47th | 94th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 69% 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 Copake Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Taconic Shores 2 mi · Copake 2 mi · Copake Lake 4 mi · Philmont 11 mi · Millerton 11 mi · Pine Plains 12 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 Copake Falls (42.1202, -73.5247); 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.