community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Clover, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (56th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clover?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clover, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, 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; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 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 Clover
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) 0.04 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.31 mi NW.
How Clover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 80th | 39th | 12th |
| Virginia | 39th | 56th | 43rd | 16th |
| Piedmont | 44th | 46th | 67th | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Clover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Scottsburg 7 mi · Drakes Branch 13 mi · Halifax 13 mi · Thynedale 14 mi · South Boston 14 mi · Nathalie 14 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 Clover (36.8402, -78.7219); 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.