borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (85th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carlisle?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Carlisle, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion; 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 128 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms early 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 Carlisle
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.86 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 1.16 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Carlisle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 86th | 77th | 68th |
| Pennsylvania | 96th | 93rd | 85th | 97th |
| Ridge and Valley | 96th | 73rd | 90th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Carlisle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carlisle Barracks 2 mi · Schlusser 3 mi · Plainfield 4 mi · Boiling Springs 4 mi · Mount Holly Springs 6 mi · New Kingstown 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 Carlisle (40.2, -77.2041); 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.