community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Lake Meade, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Meade?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Meade, 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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); 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
- Corn: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, 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 Lake Meade
Mostly: Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NW; open water 0.04 mi W.
How Lake Meade ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 74th | 78th | 52nd |
| Pennsylvania | 86th | 83rd | 86th | 57th |
| Northern Piedmont | 49th | 34th | 71st | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Lake Meade: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hampton 4 mi · East Berlin 4 mi · York Springs 5 mi · Franklintown 6 mi · Heidlersburg 6 mi · Wellsville 7 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 Lake Meade (39.9842, -77.0374); 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.