community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Nanticoke, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Nanticoke?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nanticoke, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 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 Nanticoke
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N.
How Nanticoke ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 72nd | 48th | 63rd |
| Maryland | 14th | 44th | 16th | 95th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 23rd | 27th | 51st | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Nanticoke: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nanticoke Acres 1 mi · Waterview 1 mi · Jesterville 2 mi · Bivalve 3 mi · Tyaskin 4 mi · Whitehaven 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 Nanticoke (38.2655, -75.887); 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.