community in New York
Honey bee forage in Shelter Island, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (66th percentile) and lowest in summer (5th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, 0.37 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Shelter Island?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelter Island, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Shelter Island
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Maritime Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.37 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi SW.
How Shelter Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 36th | 62nd | 39th | 61st |
| New York | 20th | 52nd | 5th | 66th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 19th | 30th | 17th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Shelter Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Haven 2 mi · Shelter Island Heights 3 mi · Dering Harbor 3 mi · Sag Harbor 4 mi · Greenport 5 mi · Northwest Harbor 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 Shelter Island (41.0553, -72.2971); 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.