community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Refton, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Refton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Refton, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 2,992 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 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 Refton
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Corn; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.04 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi W.
How Refton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 57th | 82nd | 43rd |
| Pennsylvania | 82nd | 28th | 92nd | 23rd |
| Northern Piedmont | 40th | 9th | 82nd | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Refton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Willow Street 3 mi · Lampeter 3 mi · Strasburg 4 mi · Conestoga 5 mi · Quarryville 6 mi · Smoketown 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 Refton (39.9511, -76.244); 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.