community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Atlantic, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Atlantic?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Atlantic, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 609 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 170 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 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 Atlantic
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi S.
How Atlantic ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 63rd | 90th | 15th |
| Virginia | 99th | 3rd | 100th | 24th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 91st | 13th | 94th | 36th |
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 Atlantic: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wattsville 2 mi · Temperanceville 3 mi · Oak Hall 3 mi · Makemie Park 4 mi · Hallwood 5 mi · Horntown 5 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 Atlantic (37.9034, -75.5064); 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.