community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Broomes Island, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in summer (52nd percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Broomes Island?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Broomes Island, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 83 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Broomes Island
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.02 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W.
How Broomes Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 69th | 72nd | 35th |
| Maryland | 28th | 38th | 52nd | 27th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 41st | 23rd | 71st | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Broomes Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Leonard 5 mi · Long Beach 5 mi · Calvert Beach 5 mi · Solomons 7 mi · Lusby 7 mi · Wildewood 7 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 Broomes Island (38.4114, -76.5488); 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.