community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Chester Gap, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chester Gap?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- 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: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chester 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 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 Chester Gap
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi SE.
How Chester Gap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 93rd | 38th | 41st |
| Virginia | 75th | 94th | 40th | 64th |
| Blue Ridge | 81st | 79th | 77th | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Chester Gap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Apple Mountain Lake 5 mi · Front Royal 6 mi · Flint Hill 6 mi · Skyland Estates 6 mi · Shenandoah Shores 8 mi · Washington 10 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 Chester Gap (38.8501, -78.1316); 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.