community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Draper, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.2 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Draper?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Draper, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 77 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Draper
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.56 mi N.
How Draper ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 87th | 46th | 43rd |
| Virginia | 68th | 79th | 59th | 72nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 61st | 73rd | 58th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Draper: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hiwassee 3 mi · Pulaski 4 mi · Allisonia 4 mi · Dublin 8 mi · Snowville 9 mi · New River 12 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 Draper (37.0002, -80.7325); 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.