city in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Bradford, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bradford?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bradford, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi SE, blooms late Jul – 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 Bradford
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 54% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bradford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 57th | 57th | 60th |
| Pennsylvania | 36th | 29th | 48th | 82nd |
| North Central Appalachians | 92nd | 74th | 95th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Bradford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
University of Pittsburgh Bradford 2 mi · Foster Brook 3 mi · Lewis Run 6 mi · Rew 7 mi · Eldred 13 mi · Smethport 15 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 Bradford (41.961, -78.6409); 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.