community in New York
Honey bee forage in South Hill, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.3 mi W); alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 3.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in South Hill?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Hill, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi W, 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 South Hill
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi SW.
How South Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 63rd | 60th | 63rd |
| New York | 44th | 54th | 39th | 76th |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 71st | 89th | 55th | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 South Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Ithaca 2 mi · Ithaca 2 mi · Forest Home 3 mi · Danby 4 mi · Cayuga Heights 4 mi · Northwest Ithaca 4 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 South Hill (42.4103, -76.4921); 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.