community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Gloucester Courthouse, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gloucester Courthouse?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gloucester Courthouse, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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; 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): 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
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 39 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late May – 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 Gloucester Courthouse
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi N.
How Gloucester Courthouse ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 90th | 51st | 35th |
| Virginia | 82nd | 90th | 65th | 52nd |
| Southeastern Plains | 75th | 83rd | 79th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Gloucester Courthouse: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gloucester Point 9 mi · Mathews 11 mi · Yorktown 12 mi · Williamsburg 14 mi · Saluda 14 mi · Gwynn 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 Gloucester Courthouse (37.4035, -76.5235); 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.