community in New York
Honey bee forage in Varna, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Varna?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Varna, 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), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, clover/Wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa; extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early May – early Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early 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 Varna
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NW.
How Varna ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 68th | 72nd | 74th |
| New York | 77th | 66th | 74th | 94th |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 93rd | 96th | 84th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Varna: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Forest Home 2 mi · Northeast Ithaca 2 mi · East Ithaca 2 mi · Cayuga Heights 3 mi · Ithaca 3 mi · Lansing 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 Varna (42.4526, -76.4382); 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.