community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Alverda, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (71st percentile) and lowest in spring and fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alverda?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alverda, 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 May 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 30 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Alverda
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.18 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi NE.
How Alverda ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 63rd | 68th | 51st |
| Pennsylvania | 60th | 53rd | 71st | 53rd |
| Central Appalachians | 66th | 10th | 98th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Alverda: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Heilwood 3 mi · Nicktown 3 mi · Northern Cambria 5 mi · Emeigh 6 mi · Elmora 6 mi · Cherry Tree 7 mi
All towns in Pennsylvania · 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 Alverda (40.6345, -78.8584); 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.