city in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Newport News, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Newport News?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Newport News, 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 Mar 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NW, blooms late May – late 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 Newport News
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Newport News ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 95th | 53rd | 39th |
| Virginia | 93rd | 98th | 68th | 61st |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 67th | 95th | 55th | 82nd |
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 Newport News: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bethel Manor 6 mi · Rushmere 8 mi · Smithfield 9 mi · Carrollton 9 mi · Benns Church 10 mi · Yorktown 11 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 Newport News (37.0761, -76.522); 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.