town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Big Stone Gap, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.11 mi SE.
When is the honey flow in Big Stone Gap?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late 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 Big Stone Gap, 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 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): 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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 Big Stone Gap
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Big Stone Gap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 93rd | 46th | 51st |
| Virginia | 84th | 95th | 59th | 94th |
| Ridge and Valley | 78th | 90th | 58th | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Big Stone Gap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Stone Gap 2 mi · Big Stone Gap East 2 mi · Appalachia 4 mi · Stonega 6 mi · Osaka 6 mi · Keokee 8 mi
All towns in Virginia · 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 Big Stone Gap (36.8627, -82.7761); 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.