town in Delaware
Honey bee forage in Bellefonte, Delaware
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in Delaware. Against other Delaware sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); cucumbers (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bellefonte?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bellefonte, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, 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 Bellefonte
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.71 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.74 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bellefonte ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 91st | 63rd | 60th |
| Delaware | 20th | 94th | 6th | 87th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 60th | 81st | 64th | 98th |
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 Bellefonte: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edgemoor 1 mi · Ardencroft 3 mi · Wilmington 3 mi · Ardentown 3 mi · Arden 3 mi · Claymont 3 mi
All towns in Delaware · 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 Bellefonte (39.7668, -75.4983); 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.