town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Amherst, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.29 mi SE.
When is the honey flow in Amherst?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Amherst, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
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 Amherst
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi SE.
How Amherst ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 92nd | 47th | 25th |
| Virginia | 79th | 94th | 60th | 41st |
| Piedmont | 75th | 82nd | 79th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 Amherst: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Madison Heights 10 mi · Arrington 11 mi · Lynchburg 15 mi · Shipman 15 mi · Lovingston 16 mi · Concord 17 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 Amherst (37.5819, -79.052); 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.