community in New York
Honey bee forage in Tillson, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 3.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tillson?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tillson, 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 5.
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, 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); 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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Tillson
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi NW.
How Tillson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 78th | 56th | 55th |
| New York | 58th | 88th | 28th | 54th |
| Ridge and Valley | 55th | 54th | 70th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Tillson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rosendale 1 mi · Rifton 2 mi · High Falls 2 mi · Stone Ridge 4 mi · Hurley 6 mi · New Paltz 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 Tillson (41.8308, -74.0724); 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.