community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Laboratory, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Laboratory?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (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 Laboratory, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms early 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 Laboratory
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.44 mi NW.
How Laboratory ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 83rd | 60th | 56th |
| Pennsylvania | 74th | 91st | 56th | 74th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 54th | 25th | 74th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Laboratory: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Washington 2 mi · Washington 2 mi · Meadowlands 5 mi · Eighty Four 5 mi · Green Hills 5 mi · Wolfdale 6 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 Laboratory (40.1514, -80.2147); 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.