town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Rising Sun, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rising Sun?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rising Sun, 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 26.
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, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, soybeans, 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
- Corn: about 135 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 91 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, 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 Rising Sun
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi NE.
How Rising Sun ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 78th | 82nd | 55th |
| Maryland | 74th | 57th | 71st | 78th |
| Northern Piedmont | 78th | 43rd | 81st | 60th |
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 Rising Sun: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Port Deposit 7 mi · Darlington 9 mi · Perryville 9 mi · North East 9 mi · Charlestown 9 mi · Havre de Grace 11 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 Rising Sun (39.7014, -76.0602); 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.