community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Cobb Island, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cobb Island?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cobb 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms early Jun – early 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 Cobb Island
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi N; open water 0.08 mi N.
How Cobb Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 88th | 72nd | 36th |
| Maryland | 59th | 83rd | 53rd | 27th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 66th | 73rd | 72nd | 77th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Cobb Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rock Point 1 mi · Leonardtown 12 mi · Mechanicsville 13 mi · Charlotte Hall 15 mi · Wildewood 17 mi · Callaway 17 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 Cobb Island (38.2637, -76.849); 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.