community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Blue Ridge Shores, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (65th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blue Ridge Shores?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blue Ridge Shores, 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, 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jun – early 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 Blue Ridge Shores
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi W.
How Blue Ridge Shores ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 74th | 51st | 15th |
| Virginia | 39th | 31st | 65th | 24th |
| Piedmont | 45th | 25th | 83rd | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 69% 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 Shores: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Louisa 6 mi · Gordonsville 9 mi · Mineral 9 mi · Unionville 11 mi · Orange 11 mi · Rhoadesville 12 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 Shores (38.1071, -78.0227); 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.