town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Gretna, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gretna?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gretna, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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
- Corn: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late May – early Aug (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 Gretna
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.43 mi E.
How Gretna ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 89th | 62nd | 27th |
| Virginia | 85th | 89th | 79th | 43rd |
| Piedmont | 82nd | 75th | 93rd | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Gretna: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Motley 8 mi · Chatham 10 mi · Hurt 11 mi · Altavista 13 mi · Penhook 15 mi · Blairs 17 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 Gretna (36.9495, -79.3626); 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.