village in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Malta, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Malta?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Malta, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late 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 Malta
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Malta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 92nd | 55th | 51st |
| Ohio | 20th | 82nd | 17th | 79th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 73rd | 67th | 63rd | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 Malta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McConnelsville 1 mi · Stockport 8 mi · Chesterhill 11 mi · Rendville 12 mi · Corning 12 mi · Rose Farm 13 mi
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 Malta (39.6511, -81.8632); 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.