community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Ashton-Sandy Spring, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashton-Sandy Spring?
- 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashton-Sandy Spring, 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, 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, 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 Ashton-Sandy Spring
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi W.
How Ashton-Sandy Spring ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 92nd | 59th | 56th |
| Maryland | 46th | 89th | 28th | 79th |
| Northern Piedmont | 45th | 82nd | 21st | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Ashton-Sandy Spring: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spencerville 2 mi · Cloverly 3 mi · Highland 3 mi · Burtonsville 4 mi · Olney 4 mi · Brookeville 4 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 Ashton-Sandy Spring (39.1487, -76.9991); 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.