community in Rhode Island
Honey bee forage in Quonochontaug, Rhode Island
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Rhode Island. Against other Rhode Island sites it stands out most in fall (51st percentile) and lowest in spring (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi W); squash (nearest 3.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 3.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Quonochontaug?
- 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 Quonochontaug, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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), garden flowers; 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 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Squash: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sweet corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NE, 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 Quonochontaug
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; North-Central Appalachian Acidic Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi S.
How Quonochontaug ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 33rd | 59th | 42nd | 55th |
| Rhode Island | 39th | 26th | 42nd | 51st |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 23rd | 24th | 20th | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Quonochontaug: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Weekapaug 3 mi · Bradford 4 mi · Charlestown 5 mi · Westerly 6 mi · Misquamicut 7 mi · Ashaway 7 mi
All towns in Rhode Island · 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 Quonochontaug (41.3451, -71.7047); 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.