city in Maryland

Honey bee forage in Crisfield, Maryland

Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in summer (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Crisfield?

  • First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
  • Season ends: Oct 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Crisfield, 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 9.

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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
  • Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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

  • Soybeans: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Crisfield

Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.

Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.02 mi W.

How Crisfield ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US58th78th50th54th
Maryland19th58th18th75th
Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain29th41st53rd95th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 47% 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 Crisfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Frenchtown-Rumbly 7 mi · Fairmount 9 mi · Smith Island 9 mi · Deal Island 13 mi · Dames Quarter 14 mi · Chance 15 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 Crisfield (37.9755, -75.8545); 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.