community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Bowmans Addition, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.6 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bowmans Addition?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bowmans Addition, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, garden flowers, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 1.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 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 Bowmans Addition
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northeastern Interior Calcareous Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.87 mi NE.
How Bowmans Addition ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 80th | 41st | 54th |
| Maryland | 15th | 63rd | 8th | 72nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 46th | 58th | 48th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Bowmans Addition: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ellerslie 2 mi · Corriganville 2 mi · Cumberland 2 mi · Pleasant Grove 3 mi · La Vale 4 mi · Barrelville 5 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 Bowmans Addition (39.6863, -78.755); 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.