town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Poolesville, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Poolesville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Poolesville, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 629 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 308 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, 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 Poolesville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.43 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.48 mi NE.
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 Poolesville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 93rd | 85th | 50th |
| Maryland | 95th | 90th | 77th | 61st |
| Northern Piedmont | 100th | 85th | 88th | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Poolesville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barnesville 6 mi · Darnestown 7 mi · Germantown 8 mi · Ten Mile Creek 8 mi · Clarksburg 10 mi · North Potomac 10 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 Poolesville (39.1437, -77.4116); 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.