community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Melwood, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Melwood?
- 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 Melwood, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light 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
- Soybeans: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 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 Melwood
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.27 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Melwood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 93rd | 64th | 52nd |
| Maryland | 56th | 91st | 37th | 67th |
| Southeastern Plains | 85th | 88th | 87th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Melwood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Andrews AFB 2 mi · Rosaryville 2 mi · Queensland 3 mi · Westphalia 3 mi · Morningside 3 mi · Forestville 4 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 Melwood (38.8019, -76.8416); 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.