community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Ronks, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ronks?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ronks, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, pumpkins; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; 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 161 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jun – early 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 Ronks
Mostly: Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi S.
How Ronks ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 57th | 86th | 50th |
| Pennsylvania | 93rd | 26th | 96th | 46th |
| Northern Piedmont | 69th | 9th | 92nd | 43rd |
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 Ronks: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bird-in-Hand 1 mi · Soudersburg 1 mi · Smoketown 2 mi · Gordonville 2 mi · Witmer 2 mi · Strasburg 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 Ronks (40.0284, -76.1761); 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.