town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Dewey Beach, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 4% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in fall (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dewey Beach?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dewey Beach, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 78 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Dewey Beach
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.14 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Dewey Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 69th | 52nd | 53rd |
| Delaware | 4th | 62nd | 3rd | 74th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 18th | 22nd | 54th | 94th |
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 Dewey Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rehoboth Beach 2 mi · Henlopen Acres 2 mi · Lewes 7 mi · Long Neck 7 mi · Bethany Beach 11 mi · Ocean View 11 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 Dewey Beach (38.6957, -75.0752); 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.