community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Tilghman Island, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in summer (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tilghman Island?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tilghman Island, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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): 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Tilghman Island
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi E.
How Tilghman Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 75th | 83rd | 32nd |
| Maryland | 71st | 51st | 73rd | 24th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 74th | 34th | 83rd | 72nd |
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 Tilghman Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Michaels 9 mi · Oxford 9 mi · North Beach 11 mi · Chesapeake Beach 12 mi · Deale 12 mi · Romancoke 13 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 Tilghman Island (38.7032, -76.3363); 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.