community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Elberta, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elberta?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elberta, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – 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 Elberta
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.05 mi SW.
How Elberta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 68th | 49th | 60th |
| Pennsylvania | 44th | 72nd | 36th | 83rd |
| Ridge and Valley | 32nd | 30th | 62nd | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Elberta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Greenwood 2 mi · East Altoona 3 mi · Moores Mill 3 mi · Canoe Creek 4 mi · Sickles Corner 4 mi · Pinecroft 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 Elberta (40.5125, -78.3242); 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.