borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Littlestown, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Littlestown?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Littlestown, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; 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, garden flowers, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 193 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 529 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 Littlestown
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.39 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.4 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 60% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Littlestown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 77th | 86th | 57th |
| Pennsylvania | 99th | 86th | 96th | 74th |
| Northern Piedmont | 96th | 41st | 92nd | 63rd |
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 Littlestown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bonneauville 5 mi · McSherrystown 5 mi · Pennville 6 mi · Midway 6 mi · Lake Heritage 7 mi · Parkville 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 Littlestown (39.7455, -77.0857); 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.