town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Floyd, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring and fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Floyd?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Floyd, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light 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), 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
- Corn: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late 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 Floyd
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi SE; open water 0.21 mi SE.
How Floyd ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 91st | 53rd | 50th |
| Virginia | 83rd | 92nd | 68th | 92nd |
| Blue Ridge | 92nd | 69th | 95th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Floyd: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riner 13 mi · Meadows of Dan 13 mi · Snowville 16 mi · Christiansburg 16 mi · Ferrum 18 mi · Plum Creek 18 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 Floyd (36.9122, -80.3181); 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.