city in New York
Honey bee forage in Watertown, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Watertown?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Watertown, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 199 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Watertown
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi N; open water 0.25 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 97% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Watertown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 59th | 70th | 75th |
| New York | 60th | 41st | 70th | 95th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 29th | 33rd | 37th | 90th |
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 Watertown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glen Park 3 mi · Brownville 4 mi · Pamelia Center 4 mi · Calcium 6 mi · Black River 6 mi · Dexter 7 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 Watertown (43.9733, -75.91); 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.