village in New York
Honey bee forage in Union Springs, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Union Springs?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Union Springs, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 3,814 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 442 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 453 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 Union Springs
Mostly: Open water; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi SW.
How Union Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 58th | 81st | 58th |
| New York | 83rd | 37th | 92nd | 61st |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 60th | 28th | 79th | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Union Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cayuga 5 mi · Aurora 7 mi · Seneca Falls 7 mi · Auburn 9 mi · Melrose Park 10 mi · Waterloo 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 Union Springs (42.8467, -76.6861); 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.