borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in McKean, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McKean?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McKean, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, soybeans, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 McKean
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi NW.
How McKean ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 64th | 74th | 55th |
| Pennsylvania | 72nd | 57th | 81st | 70th |
| Erie Drift Plain | 35th | 47th | 46th | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 McKean: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairview 6 mi · Avonia 8 mi · Edinboro 9 mi · Waterford 9 mi · Erie 9 mi · Girard 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 McKean (41.9985, -80.1396); 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.