community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Abingdon, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Abingdon?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Abingdon, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light 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
- Soybeans: about 237 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 187 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Abingdon
Mostly: Open water; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.56 mi NE.
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 Abingdon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 93rd | 63rd | 58th |
| Maryland | 56th | 91st | 36th | 85th |
| Southeastern Plains | 85th | 88th | 87th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Abingdon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riverside 2 mi · Perryman 3 mi · Edgewood 3 mi · Bel Air South 4 mi · Joppatowne 5 mi · Bel Air 6 mi
All towns in Maryland · 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 Abingdon (39.4635, -76.2731); 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.