community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Little Orleans, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (63rd percentile) and lowest in summer (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Little Orleans?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Little Orleans, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Little Orleans
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northeastern Interior Calcareous Oak Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi E.
How Little Orleans ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 73rd | 35th | 51st |
| Maryland | 7th | 45th | 3rd | 63rd |
| Ridge and Valley | 23rd | 42nd | 30th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Little Orleans: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Flintstone 11 mi · Oldtown 13 mi · Hancock 13 mi · Pleasant Grove 16 mi · Spring Gap 17 mi · Pecktonville 19 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 Little Orleans (39.6305, -78.3958); 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.