borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Gilberton, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it ranks highest in fall (31st percentile) and lowest in spring (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.0 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gilberton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gilberton, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NW, 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 Gilberton
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Oak Rocky Woodland; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; open water 0.11 mi W.
How Gilberton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 23rd | 52nd | 39th | 46th |
| Pennsylvania | 11th | 13th | 17th | 31st |
| Ridge and Valley | 2nd | 3rd | 42nd | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Gilberton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Altamont 1 mi · Frackville 1 mi · Englewood 1 mi · Shenandoah 2 mi · Morea 3 mi · Shenandoah Heights 3 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 Gilberton (40.7951, -76.2233); 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.