community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Lunenburg, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it ranks highest in summer (39th percentile) and lowest in fall (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 3.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lunenburg?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lunenburg, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Lunenburg
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Lunenburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 71st | 38th | 7th |
| Virginia | 15th | 19th | 39th | 7th |
| Piedmont | 23rd | 15th | 63rd | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Lunenburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Victoria 3 mi · Kenbridge 8 mi · Keysville 13 mi · Fairview 14 mi · Thynedale 15 mi · Chase City 15 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 Lunenburg (36.9585, -78.2682); 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.