community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Hanover, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hanover?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hanover, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 199 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 209 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 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 Hanover
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Riparian and Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE.
How Hanover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 85th | 65th | 39th |
| Virginia | 88th | 74th | 84th | 59th |
| Southeastern Plains | 80th | 74th | 88th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Hanover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ashland 5 mi · Glen Allen 9 mi · Mechanicsville 10 mi · Chamberlayne 10 mi · Laurel 12 mi · Lakeside 12 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 Hanover (37.7721, -77.375); 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.