borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Mount Penn, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.5 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.7 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Penn?
- 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)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mount Penn, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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); 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 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Penn
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.27 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.45 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mount Penn ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 80th | 59th | 63rd |
| Pennsylvania | 72nd | 88th | 52nd | 92nd |
| Northern Piedmont | 21st | 50th | 20th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Mount Penn: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pennside 1 mi · St. Lawrence 1 mi · Reiffton 2 mi · Stony Creek Mills 2 mi · Reading 2 mi · Jacksonwald 3 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 Penn (40.3286, -75.8898); 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.