community in New York
Honey bee forage in Mariaville Lake, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mariaville Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mariaville Lake, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 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 Mariaville Lake
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.05 mi NW; open water 0.06 mi N.
How Mariaville Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 77th | 64th | 51st |
| New York | 70th | 87th | 54th | 45th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 39th | 85th | 21st | 24th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Mariaville Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Duanesburg 4 mi · Duane Lake 5 mi · Delanson 6 mi · Esperance 8 mi · Scotia 9 mi · Amsterdam 9 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 Mariaville Lake (42.8248, -74.1303); 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.