community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in North Shore, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it ranks highest in spring (46th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North Shore?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North Shore, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi NW, blooms late May – late 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 North Shore
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.49 mi E.
How North Shore ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 78th | 37th | 18th |
| Virginia | 27th | 46th | 37th | 31st |
| Piedmont | 35th | 36th | 62nd | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 North Shore: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Westlake Corner 4 mi · Union Hall 5 mi · Penhook 6 mi · Moneta 8 mi · Rocky Mount 14 mi · Henry Fork 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 North Shore (37.0831, -79.6484); 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.