town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Clayton, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clayton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clayton, 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 Apr 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 488 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early Jun – 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 Clayton
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi N; open water 0.22 mi NE.
How Clayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 75th | 88th | 46th |
| Delaware | 83rd | 74th | 63rd | 61st |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 91st | 34th | 91st | 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 Clayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Smyrna 2 mi · Kenton 4 mi · Cheswold 4 mi · Leipsic 7 mi · Hartly 9 mi · Townsend 10 mi
All towns in Delaware · 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 Clayton (39.2741, -75.6315); 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.