community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Lisbon, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lisbon?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lisbon, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, 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 Lisbon
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SW; open water 0.25 mi NE.
How Lisbon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 87th | 80th | 52nd |
| Maryland | 82nd | 80th | 69th | 67th |
| Northern Piedmont | 89th | 70th | 79th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Lisbon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Airy 5 mi · Sykesville 6 mi · Eldersburg 8 mi · Damascus 8 mi · Green Valley 9 mi · Laytonsville 9 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 Lisbon (39.3366, -77.0705); 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.