community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Mertztown, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mertztown?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mertztown, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 2,694 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 120 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, 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 Mertztown
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi S; open water 0.08 mi SE.
How Mertztown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 63rd | 80th | 50th |
| Pennsylvania | 84th | 55th | 90th | 44th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 100th | 55th | 100th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Mertztown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Topton 2 mi · Breinigsville 3 mi · Maxatawny 3 mi · Alburtis 3 mi · Bowers 4 mi · Ancient Oaks 5 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 Mertztown (40.5017, -75.6646); 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.