community in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Pea Ridge, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in West Virginia. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other West Virginia sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pea Ridge?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pea Ridge, 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 13.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, garden flowers, 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi N, blooms late May – early 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 Pea Ridge
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.37 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 76% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Pea Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 96th | 58th | 53rd |
| West Virginia | 99th | 99th | 96th | 94th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 95th | 99th | 69th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Pea Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barboursville 2 mi · Lesage 5 mi · Huntington 6 mi · Salt Rock 8 mi · Lavalette 10 mi · Milton 10 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 Pea Ridge (38.4189, -82.3211); 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.