community in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Van, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (60th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.16 mi N.
When is the honey flow in Van?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Van, 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 14.
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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- 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 Van
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi N; open water 0.22 mi NE.
How Van ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 89th | 23rd | 43rd |
| West Virginia | 44th | 60th | 8th | 52nd |
| Central Appalachians | 55th | 66th | 26th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 92% 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 Van: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Greenview 6 mi · Twilight 6 mi · Madison 8 mi · Sylvester 9 mi · Danville 10 mi · Whitesville 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 Van (37.9702, -81.7177); 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.