town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Blackstone, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); rapeseed (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blackstone?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blackstone, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Soybeans: about 98 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Rapeseed: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Mar – late May (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 Blackstone
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi N; open water 0.25 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Blackstone ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 93rd | 54th | 25th |
| Virginia | 85th | 95th | 68th | 41st |
| Piedmont | 82nd | 86th | 86th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Blackstone: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nottoway Court House 5 mi · Crewe 10 mi · Kenbridge 11 mi · Burkeville 13 mi · Victoria 14 mi · Warfield 16 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 Blackstone (37.0818, -78.0028); 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.