borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Laurel Mountain, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Laurel Mountain?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Laurel Mountain, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early Jul – early 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 Laurel Mountain
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi NE.
How Laurel Mountain ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 71st | 46th | 57th |
| Pennsylvania | 47th | 79th | 31st | 75th |
| Central Appalachians | 29th | 22nd | 84th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Laurel Mountain: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ligonier 4 mi · Gray 7 mi · Jennerstown 7 mi · Boswell 9 mi · Edie 9 mi · Acosta 9 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 Laurel Mountain (40.2112, -79.185); 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.