city in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Dover, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 1.9 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dover?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dover, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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
- Soybeans: about 145 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sweet corn: about 1,086 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 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 Dover
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E; open water 0.05 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 92% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Dover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 81st | 72nd | 55th |
| Delaware | 17th | 83rd | 16th | 77th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 57th | 51st | 72nd | 95th |
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 Dover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kent Acres 2 mi · Rodney Village 2 mi · Highland Acres 3 mi · Dover Base Housing 4 mi · Little Creek 4 mi · Wyoming 4 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 Dover (39.1606, -75.5217); 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.