community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Hilldale, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hilldale?
- 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 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hilldale, 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 2.
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, garden flowers, dandelion, 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 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Hilldale
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.34 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.55 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024); Pears: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Hilldale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 75th | 63rd | 63rd |
| Pennsylvania | 70th | 84th | 61st | 92nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 63rd | 48th | 78th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Hilldale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hudson 1 mi · Plains 1 mi · Inkerman 1 mi · Wyoming 1 mi · Forty Fort 2 mi · Laflin 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 Hilldale (41.2869, -75.8361); 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.