borough in Pennsylvania

Honey bee forage in Dale, Pennsylvania

Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Dale?

  • First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
  • Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
  • Season ends: Sep 30
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dale, 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 1.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): 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
  • 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
  • Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
  • Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 4 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 Dale

Mostly: Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi W.

Things to watch

  • Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.

How Dale ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US69th80th64th67th
Pennsylvania77th88th65th96th
Central Appalachians96th30th97th100th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 35% 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 Dale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Daisytown 1 mi · Johnstown 1 mi · Lorain 1 mi · Oakland 1 mi · Southmont 1 mi · Ferndale 2 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 Dale (40.3122, -78.9051); 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.