town in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Willards, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Willards?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willards, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 598 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,237 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, 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 Willards
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Riparian and Floodplain Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi NW.
How Willards ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 80th | 88th | 23rd |
| Maryland | 95th | 63rd | 86th | 17th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 95th | 47th | 91st | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Willards: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whaleyville 3 mi · Pittsville 3 mi · Powellville 5 mi · Parsonsburg 7 mi · Bishopville 8 mi · Berlin 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 Willards (38.3924, -75.3494); 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.