community in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Apple Grove, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (5th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Apple Grove?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Apple Grove, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Soybeans: about 252 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Apple Grove
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi SE.
How Apple Grove ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 66th | 70th | 34th |
| West Virginia | 68th | 5th | 99th | 15th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 33rd | 4th | 90th | 6th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Apple Grove: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gallipolis Ferry 8 mi · Buffalo 11 mi · Henderson 12 mi · Point Pleasant 13 mi · Leon 13 mi · Lesage 14 mi
All towns in West 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 Apple Grove (38.6666, -82.1717); 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.