community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Mount Briar, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Briar?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mount Briar, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 43 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, 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 Mount Briar
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi N.
How Mount Briar ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 82nd | 67th | 51st |
| Maryland | 36th | 70th | 43rd | 64th |
| Blue Ridge | 92nd | 24th | 99th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Mount Briar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Trego-Rohrersville Station 1 mi · Rohrersville 1 mi · Eakles Mill 2 mi · Keedysville 3 mi · Gapland 3 mi · Antietam 3 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 Mount Briar (39.4426, -77.6873); 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.