village in New York
Honey bee forage in Elmira Heights, 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 (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (76th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elmira Heights?
- 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: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elmira Heights, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Soybeans: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Elmira Heights
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; 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) 0.46 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.67 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 78% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Elmira Heights ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 72nd | 73rd | 78th |
| New York | 86th | 76th | 79th | 97th |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 97th | 99th | 87th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Elmira Heights: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elmira 2 mi · West Elmira 3 mi · Horseheads 3 mi · Southport 4 mi · Horseheads North 5 mi · Big Flats 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 Elmira Heights (42.1267, -76.8256); 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.