community in New York
Honey bee forage in South Ilion, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in South Ilion?
- 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, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Ilion, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 110 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 64 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 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 Ilion
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE.
How South Ilion ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 76th | 65th | 60th |
| New York | 71st | 85th | 55th | 65th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 41st | 83rd | 23rd | 46th |
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 South Ilion: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ilion 1 mi · East Frankfort 2 mi · Mohawk 3 mi · Frankfort 3 mi · Herkimer 4 mi · East Herkimer 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 South Ilion (42.9939, -75.055); 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.