community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Pennside, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Pennside?
- First forage: Mar 1 (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 Pennside, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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 2.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 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 Pennside
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; open water 0.18 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Pennside ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 87th | 64th | 66th |
| Pennsylvania | 84th | 94th | 63rd | 95th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 100th | 100th | 65th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Pennside: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Penn 1 mi · Stony Creek Mills 1 mi · St. Lawrence 1 mi · Reiffton 2 mi · Jacksonwald 2 mi · Reading 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 Pennside (40.3379, -75.8767); 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.