city in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Delaware City, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 4% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in spring (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Delaware City?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Delaware City, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Soybeans: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 219 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Delaware City
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi E; open water 0.24 mi E.
How Delaware City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 72nd | 53rd | 50th |
| Delaware | 4th | 69th | 3rd | 68th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 21st | 28th | 55th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Delaware City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Georges 3 mi · Port Penn 4 mi · Bear 6 mi · New Castle 7 mi · Wilmington Manor 8 mi · Glasgow 8 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 Delaware City (39.5738, -75.5946); 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.