community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Mendota, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW); soybeans (nearest 3.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mendota?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mendota, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Corn: about 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 5 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 Mendota
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi E.
How Mendota ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 83rd | 31st | 36th |
| Virginia | 40th | 67th | 20th | 54th |
| Ridge and Valley | 40th | 65th | 20th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Mendota: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nickelsville 7 mi · Hiltons 10 mi · Bristol 10 mi · Castlewood 12 mi · Dungannon 12 mi · St. Paul 14 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 Mendota (36.7111, -82.3057); 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.