borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Shade Gap, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shade Gap?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shade Gap, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, 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 Shade Gap
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.2 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.41 mi SE.
How Shade Gap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 75th | 50th | 55th |
| Pennsylvania | 56th | 84th | 37th | 70th |
| Ridge and Valley | 46th | 48th | 63rd | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 82% 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 Shade Gap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Orbisonia 5 mi · Rockhill 5 mi · Three Springs 6 mi · Burnt Cabins 7 mi · Saltillo 8 mi · Shirleysburg 8 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 Shade Gap (40.1803, -77.8662); 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.