community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (85th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gilbertsville?
- 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 Aug 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 Gilbertsville, 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), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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
- Soybeans: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Gilbertsville
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Gilbertsville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 91st | 77th | 66th |
| Pennsylvania | 97th | 97th | 85th | 96th |
| Northern Piedmont | 87th | 81st | 68th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Gilbertsville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Boyertown 2 mi · New Berlinville 2 mi · Halfway House 3 mi · Bechtelsville 3 mi · Pottsgrove 4 mi · Sanatoga 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 Gilbertsville (40.323, -75.6086); 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.