borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.2 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brownsville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brownsville, 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 26.
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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Corn: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Brownsville
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi SE.
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 Brownsville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 91st | 58th | 53rd |
| Pennsylvania | 82nd | 97th | 52nd | 58th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 75th | 61st | 70th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Brownsville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Brownsville 1 mi · Hiller 1 mi · Allison 2 mi · California 4 mi · Grindstone 4 mi · Coal Center 4 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 Brownsville (40.0189, -79.89); 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.