community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Callaghan, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 21% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Callaghan?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Callaghan, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Callaghan
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi N; open water 0.18 mi N.
How Callaghan ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 76th | 31st | 43rd |
| Virginia | 21st | 39th | 19th | 72nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 24th | 50th | 20th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Callaghan: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Covington 6 mi · Mallow 7 mi · Low Moor 12 mi · Selma 13 mi · Clifton Forge 14 mi · Glen Wilton 15 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 Callaghan (37.8098, -80.089); 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.