town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Slaughter Beach, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 4% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Slaughter Beach?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Slaughter 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, native wildflowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 1,433 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 214 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Slaughter Beach
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How Slaughter Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 51st | 68th | 69th |
| Delaware | 4th | 18th | 13th | 97th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 20th | 5th | 69th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Slaughter Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Milford 6 mi · Lincoln 7 mi · Ellendale 10 mi · Milton 10 mi · Houston 10 mi · Frederica 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 Slaughter Beach (38.9183, -75.3133); 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.