community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Gloucester Point, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gloucester Point?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gloucester Point, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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 176 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, 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 Point
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Gloucester Point ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 96th | 49th | 25th |
| Virginia | 92nd | 98th | 64th | 42nd |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 65th | 96th | 52nd | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Point: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yorktown 3 mi · Gloucester Courthouse 9 mi · Williamsburg 12 mi · Bethel Manor 13 mi · Newport News 13 mi · Poquoson 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 Point (37.2703, -76.4974); 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.