city in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Elkins, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elkins?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elkins, 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 28.
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; 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, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi S, 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 Elkins
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi S; open water 0.07 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Elkins ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 85th | 64th | 66th |
| West Virginia | 94th | 42nd | 98th | 100th |
| Ridge and Valley | 81st | 70th | 80th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Elkins: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Beverly 6 mi · Womelsdorf (Coalton) 6 mi · Norton 6 mi · Junior 6 mi · Belington 8 mi · Bowden 8 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 Elkins (38.9237, -79.8543); 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.