city in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in St. Marys, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Marys?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Marys, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 St. Marys
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi SE.
How St. Marys ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 60th | 59th | 58th |
| Pennsylvania | 42nd | 38th | 52nd | 79th |
| North Central Appalachians | 94th | 85th | 97th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 St. Marys: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kersey 8 mi · Johnsonburg 9 mi · Ridgway 11 mi · Byrnedale 11 mi · Wilcox 12 mi · Weedville 12 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 St. Marys (41.455, -78.5202); 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.