city in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Chester, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 2.9 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chester?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (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 Chester, 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 29.
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); 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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; 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
- Sunflower: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – 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 Chester
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Chester ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 79th | 55th | 58th |
| West Virginia | 66th | 25th | 95th | 99th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 32nd | 17th | 63rd | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Chester: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newell 2 mi · New Cumberland 7 mi · Weirton 14 mi · Colliers 17 mi · Follansbee 19 mi · Hooverson Heights 21 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 Chester (40.6129, -80.5627); 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.