town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Indian Head, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 16% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 3.0 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Indian Head?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Indian Head, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Sunflower: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (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 Indian Head
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi SW.
How Indian Head ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 84th | 39th | 44th |
| Maryland | 16th | 74th | 6th | 41st |
| Southeastern Plains | 54th | 70th | 70th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Indian Head: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Potomac Heights 1 mi · Bryans Road 3 mi · Pomfret 7 mi · Bensville 8 mi · Port Tobacco Village 9 mi · Accokeek 10 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 Indian Head (38.5986, -77.1557); 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.