borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 8% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it ranks highest in spring (17th percentile) and lowest in summer (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tamaqua?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tamaqua, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 71 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 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 Tamaqua
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.24 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi NW.
How Tamaqua ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 21st | 54th | 35th | 39th |
| Pennsylvania | 8th | 17th | 7th | 15th |
| Ridge and Valley | 1st | 4th | 30th | 36th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Tamaqua: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coaldale 1 mi · Lansford 3 mi · Hometown 3 mi · Summit Hill 4 mi · Tuscarora 6 mi · Grier City 7 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 Tamaqua (40.8041, -75.9266); 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.