community in New York
Honey bee forage in Crystal Beach, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Crystal Beach?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, clover/Wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Crystal Beach, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early May – early Oct (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, 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 Crystal Beach
Mostly: Open water; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi W.
How Crystal Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 54th | 78th | 78th |
| New York | 77th | 27th | 89th | 97th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 49th | 21st | 70th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Crystal Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rushville 4 mi · Canandaigua 6 mi · Gorham 6 mi · Hall 10 mi · Shortsville 10 mi · Bloomfield 10 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 Crystal Beach (42.8098, -77.2583); 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.