borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Shelocta, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelocta?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelocta, 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 1.
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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra 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; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, 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 Shelocta
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi SW.
How Shelocta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 70th | 66th | 48th |
| Pennsylvania | 66th | 77th | 68th | 39th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 32nd | 9th | 84th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Shelocta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elderton 3 mi · Creekside 6 mi · Jacksonville 7 mi · Atwood 7 mi · Ernest 7 mi · Indiana 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 Shelocta (40.6563, -79.3003); 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.