borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Joy?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 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 Mount Joy, 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, lindens / basswood; 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, 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): 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
- Corn: about 795 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 100 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, 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 Mount Joy
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn; Rye.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.49 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.49 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mount Joy ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 77th | 87th | 54th |
| Pennsylvania | 100th | 85th | 97th | 65th |
| Northern Piedmont | 98th | 40th | 94th | 56th |
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 Mount Joy: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rheems 4 mi · Maytown 4 mi · Salunga 4 mi · Marietta 4 mi · Columbia 5 mi · Landisville 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 Mount Joy (40.1106, -76.5057); 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.