town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Millsboro, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Millsboro?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Millsboro, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 208 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 246 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Millsboro
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Corn; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.2 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi NW.
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 Millsboro ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 84th | 80th | 43rd |
| Delaware | 48th | 87th | 30th | 55th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 79th | 60th | 81st | 86th |
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 Millsboro: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dagsboro 5 mi · Frankford 6 mi · Georgetown 8 mi · Long Neck 8 mi · Millville 10 mi · Selbyville 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 Millsboro (38.5887, -75.3096); 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.