community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Oval, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oval?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oval, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), pumpkins; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 129 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Oval
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.49 mi SE.
How Oval ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 58th | 80th | 62nd |
| Pennsylvania | 80th | 31st | 90th | 89th |
| Ridge and Valley | 78th | 10th | 93rd | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Oval: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rauchtown 4 mi · Jersey Shore 6 mi · Avis 8 mi · Duboistown 9 mi · McElhattan 9 mi · Salladasburg 9 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 Oval (41.1522, -77.1745); 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.