community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Middle River, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 30% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring and fall (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 2.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Middle River?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- 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 Middle River, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Corn: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – 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 Middle River
Mostly: Open water; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.39 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Middle River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 85th | 57th | 55th |
| Maryland | 30th | 76th | 24th | 76th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 43rd | 63rd | 58th | 95th |
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 Middle River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Essex 3 mi · Rossville 3 mi · Bowleys Quarters 3 mi · White Marsh 3 mi · Rosedale 4 mi · Honeygo 5 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 Middle River (39.3395, -76.4287); 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.