town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Haymarket, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (82nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Haymarket?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Haymarket, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 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 Haymarket
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Haymarket ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 93rd | 64th | 57th |
| Virginia | 92nd | 96th | 82nd | 99th |
| Northern Piedmont | 61st | 87th | 28th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Haymarket: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gainesville 1 mi · Linton Hall 5 mi · New Baltimore 7 mi · Bull Run 7 mi · Bull Run Mountain Estates 7 mi · Innovation 7 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 Haymarket (38.8122, -77.6363); 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.