community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Keswick, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Keswick?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Keswick, 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 11.
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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, 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 Keswick
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi W.
How Keswick ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 95th | 56th | 26th |
| Virginia | 90th | 97th | 72nd | 42nd |
| Piedmont | 87th | 91st | 88th | 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 Keswick: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rivanna 2 mi · Pantops 5 mi · Lake Monticello 7 mi · Charlottesville 7 mi · Rio 8 mi · Hollymead 8 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 Keswick (38.0145, -78.3616); 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.