town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Hancock, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hancock?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hancock, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Hancock
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi E.
How Hancock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 74th | 49th | 54th |
| Maryland | 14th | 49th | 16th | 74th |
| Ridge and Valley | 43rd | 46th | 61st | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Hancock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pecktonville 7 mi · Ernstville 9 mi · Indian Springs 9 mi · Big Pool 10 mi · Clear Spring 13 mi · Big Spring 13 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 Hancock (39.7046, -78.1633); 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.