community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Callaway, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Callaway?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Callaway, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (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 Callaway
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi SE.
How Callaway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 86th | 62nd | 44th |
| Maryland | 36th | 78th | 33rd | 41st |
| Southeastern Plains | 76th | 75th | 86th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Callaway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tall Timbers 4 mi · Lexington Park 5 mi · California 5 mi · Wildewood 5 mi · Piney Point 6 mi · Leonardtown 8 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 Callaway (38.2339, -76.5289); 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.