town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Fenwick Island, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in fall (59th percentile) and lowest in summer (1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.8 mi NW); corn (nearest 1.9 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fenwick Island?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fenwick Island, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Sunflower: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi W, 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 Fenwick Island
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W; open water 0.13 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Fenwick Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 21st | 48th | 37th | 45th |
| Delaware | 1st | 15th | 1st | 59th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 1st | 4th | 42nd | 88th |
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 Fenwick Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Bethany 4 mi · Bethany Beach 5 mi · Ocean View 6 mi · Millville 7 mi · Selbyville 8 mi · Frankford 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 Fenwick Island (38.4603, -75.0533); 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.