town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Drakes Branch, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (66th percentile) and lowest in fall (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Drakes Branch?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Drakes Branch, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 100 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, 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 Drakes Branch
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E.
How Drakes Branch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 83rd | 45th | 15th |
| Virginia | 56th | 66th | 56th | 26th |
| Piedmont | 58th | 55th | 76th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Drakes Branch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Charlotte Court House 5 mi · Keysville 7 mi · Phenix 10 mi · Clover 13 mi · Fairview 14 mi · Thynedale 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 Drakes Branch (36.9933, -78.6009); 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.