community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Charles City, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Charles City?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Charles City, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), 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
- Soybeans: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , 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 Charles City
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi W.
How Charles City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 75th | 73rd | 16th |
| Virginia | 83rd | 34th | 91st | 26th |
| Southeastern Plains | 75th | 47th | 92nd | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Charles City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Claremont 10 mi · New Kent 12 mi · Hopewell 14 mi · Enon 14 mi · Prince George 14 mi · Fort Gregg-Adams 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 Charles City (37.3483, -77.063); 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.