borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Mercersburg?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mercersburg, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 556 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – 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 Mercersburg
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NE.
How Mercersburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 69th | 86th | 46th |
| Pennsylvania | 97th | 76th | 95th | 32nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 98th | 35th | 97th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Mercersburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Loudon 6 mi · McConnellsburg 8 mi · Greencastle 10 mi · Marion 11 mi · State Line 12 mi · Needmore 13 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 Mercersburg (39.8319, -77.9029); 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.