community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Fountainhead-Orchard Hills, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in spring and summer (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fountainhead-Orchard Hills?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fountainhead-Orchard Hills, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, lindens / basswood; 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late 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 Fountainhead-Orchard Hills
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.9 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Fountainhead-Orchard Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 84th | 83rd | 60th |
| Maryland | 86th | 74th | 74th | 89th |
| Ridge and Valley | 99th | 66th | 95th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Fountainhead-Orchard Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Paramount-Long Meadow 1 mi · Maugansville 2 mi · Middleburg 2 mi · Reid 3 mi · Cearfoss 3 mi · Hagerstown 3 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 Fountainhead-Orchard Hills (39.6878, -77.7173); 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.