community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Shelltown, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelltown?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- 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 Shelltown, 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 May 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 846 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 138 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 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 Shelltown
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.53 mi SE.
How Shelltown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 60th | 78th | 47th |
| Pennsylvania | 74th | 38th | 87th | 32nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 69th | 12th | 91st | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Shelltown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Williamsburg 0 mi · Robeson Extension 1 mi · Ganister 2 mi · Franklin Forge 2 mi · St. Clair 2 mi · Larke 2 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 Shelltown (40.4568, -78.2067); 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.