community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Quantico, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (54th percentile) and lowest in fall (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); watermelons (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Quantico?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Quantico, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, watermelons; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), watermelons, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 361 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Quantico
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.5 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Watermelons: insecticides used on about 38% 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 Quantico ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 76th | 70th | 19th |
| Maryland | 33rd | 54th | 50th | 12th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 46th | 37th | 70th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Quantico: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hebron 5 mi · Mardela Springs 5 mi · Allen 7 mi · Tyaskin 8 mi · Whitehaven 8 mi · Fruitland 8 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 Quantico (38.38, -75.755); 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.