community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Owings Mills, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 41% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Owings Mills?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 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 Owings Mills, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 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 Mills
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NE; open water 0.47 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 83% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Owings Mills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 87th | 63rd | 60th |
| Maryland | 41st | 80th | 36th | 89th |
| Northern Piedmont | 39th | 69th | 27th | 73rd |
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 Owings Mills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garrison 2 mi · Randallstown 3 mi · Reisterstown 3 mi · Milford Mill 4 mi · Pikesville 5 mi · Lochearn 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 Owings Mills (39.4105, -76.7894); 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.