town in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Carpendale, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.8 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 3.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carpendale?
- First forage: Feb 16 (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 Carpendale, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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), garden flowers; 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 100 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 140 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 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 Carpendale
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.45 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.45 mi W.
How Carpendale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 89th | 57th | 58th |
| West Virginia | 93rd | 63rd | 96th | 99th |
| Ridge and Valley | 78th | 82nd | 70th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Carpendale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ridgeley 1 mi · Wiley Ford 2 mi · Fort Ashby 9 mi · Green Spring 11 mi · Springfield 14 mi · Keyser 17 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 Carpendale (39.6277, -78.7897); 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.