community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Bear Rocks, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bear Rocks?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bear Rocks, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 shrubs; 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 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Bear Rocks
Mostly: Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.49 mi S.
How Bear Rocks ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 72nd | 55th | 54th |
| Pennsylvania | 56th | 81st | 45th | 62nd |
| Central Appalachians | 50th | 23rd | 92nd | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Bear Rocks: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Donegal 5 mi · Mount Pleasant 5 mi · Mammoth 5 mi · Norvelt 6 mi · Calumet 6 mi · Scottdale 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 Bear Rocks (40.1275, -79.4636); 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.