city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Pikeville, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.13 mi W.
When is the honey flow in Pikeville?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pikeville, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Pikeville
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.44 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Pikeville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 90th | 37th | 47th |
| Kentucky | 36th | 64th | 34th | 89th |
| Central Appalachians | 90th | 73rd | 68th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Pikeville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coal Run Village 4 mi · Betsy Layne 7 mi · Virgie 10 mi · McDowell 11 mi · Wheelwright 14 mi · Martin 14 mi
All towns in Kentucky · 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 Pikeville (37.4769, -82.5288); 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.