community in Maryland

Honey bee forage in Monrovia, Maryland

Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Monrovia?

  • First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Season ends: Sep 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monrovia, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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

  • Soybeans: about 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi W, 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 Monrovia

Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi E.

How Monrovia ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US85th78th85th52nd
Maryland86th60th78th66th
Northern Piedmont93rd45th89th49th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 42% 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 Monrovia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

New Market 2 mi · Green Valley 2 mi · Linganore 4 mi · Urbana 4 mi · Bartonsville 5 mi · Spring Ridge 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 Monrovia (39.3595, -77.2749); 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.