community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Rocky Gap, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.6 mi W); alfalfa (nearest 2.4 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Rocky 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rocky 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 5 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 Rocky Gap
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi SE.
How Rocky Gap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 85th | 38th | 47th |
| Virginia | 56th | 74th | 40th | 82nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 51st | 70th | 41st | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Rocky Gap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bastian 7 mi · Bluefield 9 mi · Bland 10 mi · Mechanicsburg 11 mi · Falls Mills 11 mi · Pocahontas 14 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 Rocky Gap (37.241, -81.1075); 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.