community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Lake Arbor, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.5 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.0 mi SE); corn (nearest 2.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Arbor?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Arbor, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 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 Lake Arbor
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.2 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Lake Arbor ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 92nd | 65th | 59th |
| Maryland | 55th | 89th | 40th | 86th |
| Southeastern Plains | 84th | 86th | 88th | 100th |
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 Lake Arbor: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springdale 2 mi · Glenarden 2 mi · Largo 2 mi · Summerfield 2 mi · Mitchellville 2 mi · Kettering 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 Lake Arbor (38.9096, -76.8302); 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.