town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Abingdon, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (78th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Abingdon?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Abingdon, 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; 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; 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; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Abingdon
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Abingdon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 93rd | 60th | 46th |
| Virginia | 90th | 95th | 78th | 80th |
| Ridge and Valley | 86th | 89th | 75th | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Abingdon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Meadowview 6 mi · Emory 9 mi · Damascus 11 mi · Bristol 12 mi · Glade Spring 12 mi · Lebanon 15 mi
All towns in 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 Abingdon (36.7067, -81.9716); 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.