town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Mountain Lake Park?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mountain Lake Park, 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 May 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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): 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 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 110 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 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 Mountain Lake Park
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mountain Lake Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 89th | 76th | 74th |
| Maryland | 76th | 84th | 59th | 100th |
| Ridge and Valley | 97th | 81st | 89th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Mountain Lake Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Loch Lynn Heights 1 mi · Oakland 2 mi · Deer Park 3 mi · Crellin 5 mi · Hutton 5 mi · Gorman 8 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 Mountain Lake Park (39.4, -79.3811); 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.