town in West Virginia

Honey bee forage in Thurmond, West Virginia

Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.23 mi SW.

When is the honey flow in Thurmond?

  • First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
  • Season ends: Oct 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Thurmond, 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 20.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
  • Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time

Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.

Bee crops within flight range

No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.

The land and water around Thurmond

Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest.

Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.24 mi SW.

How Thurmond ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US51st84th28th46th
West Virginia28th37th21st69th
Central Appalachians36th41st46th64th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 88% 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 Thurmond: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Gatewood 3 mi · Cunard 3 mi · Hilltop 4 mi · Oak Hill 4 mi · Glen Jean 5 mi · Scarbro 5 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 Thurmond (37.9609, -81.079); 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.