community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Gastonville, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gastonville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gastonville, 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, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Gastonville
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.56 mi N.
How Gastonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 89th | 64th | 58th |
| Pennsylvania | 84th | 96th | 63rd | 79th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 80th | 52nd | 81st | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Gastonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Finleyville 1 mi · Bunola 4 mi · Jefferson Hills 4 mi · McMurray 4 mi · Elrama 5 mi · New Eagle 5 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 Gastonville (40.2668, -80.0096); 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.