community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Pennville, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Pennsylvania. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Pennsylvania sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Pennville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 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 Pennville, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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
- Soybeans: about 175 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 295 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Pennville
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Pennville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 84th | 78th | 63rd |
| Pennsylvania | 95th | 92nd | 87th | 92nd |
| Northern Piedmont | 75th | 60th | 72nd | 82nd |
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 Pennville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Parkville 1 mi · Midway 2 mi · Hanover 2 mi · McSherrystown 2 mi · Littlestown 6 mi · New Oxford 6 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 Pennville (39.7868, -76.992); 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.