community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Blue Ridge, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); grapes (nearest 3.6 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Blue Ridge?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blue Ridge, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Blue Ridge
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi W.
How Blue Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 94th | 44th | 37th |
| Virginia | 83rd | 96th | 55th | 55th |
| Ridge and Valley | 76th | 92nd | 54th | 32nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Blue Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Laymantown 2 mi · Troutville 4 mi · Cloverdale 5 mi · Montvale 5 mi · Daleville 6 mi · Hollins 8 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 Blue Ridge (37.3798, -79.8222); 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.