town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Rich Creek, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.9 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rich Creek?
- 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 Rich Creek, 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 16.
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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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; light 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra 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 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NE, 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 Rich Creek
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi NW.
How Rich Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 93rd | 45th | 43rd |
| Virginia | 81st | 94th | 56th | 71st |
| Central Appalachians | 96th | 91st | 82nd | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Rich Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glen Lyn 2 mi · Narrows 4 mi · Pearisburg 6 mi · Ripplemead 8 mi · Pembroke 11 mi · Eggleston 13 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 Rich Creek (37.3846, -80.8188); 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.