borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belle Vernon?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belle Vernon, 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, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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): 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 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 Belle Vernon
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.09 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Belle Vernon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 86th | 58th | 53rd |
| Pennsylvania | 76th | 93rd | 50th | 61st |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 60th | 37th | 69th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Belle Vernon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Belle Vernon 1 mi · Lynnwood-Pricedale 1 mi · Dunlevy 1 mi · Speers 1 mi · Fairhope 1 mi · Naomi 1 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 Belle Vernon (40.1234, -79.862); 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.