town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Ocean City, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 0% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it ranks highest in fall (18th percentile) and lowest in summer (below the 1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ocean City?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ocean City, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Ocean City
Mostly: Open water; Developed, high intensity (paved); Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ocean City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 7th | 28th | 16th | 25th |
| Maryland | below the 1st | 1st | below the 1st | 18th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | below the 1st | 1st | 16th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Ocean City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Ocean City 4 mi · Ocean Pines 4 mi · Bishopville 8 mi · Berlin 9 mi · Whaleyville 12 mi · Newark 15 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 Ocean City (38.3931, -75.0712); 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.