borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Orwigsburg?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orwigsburg, 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 May 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jul – 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 Orwigsburg
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SW.
How Orwigsburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 74th | 68th | 58th |
| Pennsylvania | 73rd | 83rd | 70th | 78th |
| Ridge and Valley | 69th | 45th | 84th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Orwigsburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Renningers 2 mi · Landingville 2 mi · Deer Lake 3 mi · Schuylkill Haven 4 mi · Auburn 4 mi · Palo Alto 4 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 Orwigsburg (40.6542, -76.104); 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.