community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Owings, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Owings?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Owings, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Owings
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E.
How Owings ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 94th | 65th | 44th |
| Maryland | 60th | 93rd | 40th | 41st |
| Southeastern Plains | 86th | 91st | 88th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Owings: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Friendship 2 mi · Chesapeake Beach 3 mi · North Beach 4 mi · Dunkirk 4 mi · Deale 6 mi · Huntingtown 7 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 Owings (38.7119, -76.6037); 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.