community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Summit Station, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (66th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Summit Station?
- First forage: Mar 1 (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 Summit Station, 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 6.
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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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
- Soybeans: about 112 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 213 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – 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 Summit Station
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi NE.
How Summit Station ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 62nd | 65th | 52nd |
| Pennsylvania | 54th | 47th | 66th | 55th |
| Ridge and Valley | 42nd | 16th | 81st | 80th |
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 Summit Station: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Wynonah 3 mi · Friedensburg 3 mi · Schubert 4 mi · Cressona 5 mi · Schuylkill Haven 5 mi · Strausstown 5 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 Summit Station (40.562, -76.2012); 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.