community in New York
Honey bee forage in Mongaup Valley, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it ranks highest in spring (33rd percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mongaup Valley?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mongaup Valley, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, 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 Mongaup Valley
Mostly: Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi SE.
How Mongaup Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 26th | 56th | 40th | 42nd |
| New York | 10th | 33rd | 6th | 31st |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 14th | 58th | 6th | 11th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Mongaup Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Smallwood 2 mi · Kauneonga Lake 3 mi · White Lake 3 mi · Monticello 5 mi · Swan Lake 6 mi · Kiamesha Lake 6 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 Mongaup Valley (41.6803, -74.7799); 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.