town in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Masontown, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in summer and fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (78th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Masontown?
- 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 Masontown, 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 trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Masontown
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi E.
How Masontown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 92nd | 58th | 55th |
| West Virginia | 95th | 78th | 96th | 96th |
| Central Appalachians | 99th | 89th | 94th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Masontown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Reedsville 3 mi · Arthurdale 4 mi · Brookhaven 6 mi · Cheat Lake 8 mi · Kingwood 8 mi · Albright 9 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 Masontown (39.5512, -79.8003); 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.