borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in West Reading, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 2.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Reading?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Reading, 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 Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi N, blooms early Jun – 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 West Reading
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.36 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How West Reading ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 73rd | 62nd | 63rd |
| Pennsylvania | 68th | 82nd | 60th | 92nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 60th | 44th | 78th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around West Reading: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wyomissing 1 mi · Reading 1 mi · Kenhorst 2 mi · Colony Park 2 mi · Greenfields 2 mi · Shillington 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 West Reading (40.3338, -75.9469); 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.