city in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Monessen, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Monessen?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monessen, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Monessen
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi E; open water 0.65 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 78% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Monessen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 89th | 63rd | 59th |
| Pennsylvania | 84th | 96th | 60th | 81st |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 79th | 52nd | 79th | 95th |
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 Monessen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Charleroi 1 mi · North Charleroi 1 mi · North Belle Vernon 2 mi · Speers 2 mi · Wickerham Manor-Fisher 2 mi · Donora 2 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 Monessen (40.152, -79.883); 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.