community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Linville, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Linville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Linville, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Linville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.52 mi N.
How Linville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 78th | 63rd | 43rd |
| Virginia | 72nd | 48th | 81st | 72nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 64th | 55th | 78th | 49th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Linville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Singers Glen 5 mi · Harrisonburg 6 mi · Broadway 7 mi · Belmont Estates 7 mi · Keezletown 7 mi · Massanetta Springs 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 Linville (38.5166, -78.8351); 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.