town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in North East, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North East?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 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 North East, 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), 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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 North East
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How North East ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 86th | 61st | 61st |
| Maryland | 36th | 78th | 31st | 91st |
| Southeastern Plains | 75th | 75th | 85th | 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 North East: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Charlestown 3 mi · Elkton 6 mi · Perryville 7 mi · Port Deposit 8 mi · Chesapeake City 9 mi · Rising Sun 9 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 North East (39.608, -75.9417); 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.