community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Solomons, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 41% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Solomons?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 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 Solomons, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, 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, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, 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 Solomons
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 72% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Solomons ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 90th | 59th | 47th |
| Maryland | 41st | 87th | 28th | 49th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 54th | 79th | 60th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Solomons: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Drum Point 2 mi · Lusby 2 mi · Chesapeake Ranch Estates 3 mi · California 3 mi · Wildewood 5 mi · Lexington Park 6 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 Solomons (38.3391, -76.4619); 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.