Honey bee forage in Niagara University, New York

When is the honey flow in Niagara University?

• First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
• Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
• Fall flow: Aug 16 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 Niagara University, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
• Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
• Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
• Soybeans: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
• Corn: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Niagara University

Mostly: Unmapped; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Open water.

Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi N; open water 0.32 mi N.

Things to watch

• Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.

How Niagara University ranks

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

Nearby

Lewiston 2 mi · Niagara Falls 3 mi · Youngstown 8 mi · Sanborn 8 mi · Ransomville 9 mi · North Tonawanda 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 Niagara University (43.1372, -79.0351); 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.