community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Oak Level, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (52nd percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oak Level?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oak Level, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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), summer-flowering shrubs; 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early 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 Oak Level
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.46 mi NE.
How Oak Level ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 79th | 34th | 10th |
| Virginia | 26th | 52nd | 27th | 15th |
| Piedmont | 33rd | 42nd | 54th | 56th |
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 Oak Level: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stanleytown 3 mi · Bassett 3 mi · Collinsville 5 mi · Fieldale 6 mi · Villa Heights 7 mi · Martinsville 9 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 Oak Level (36.7948, -79.9414); 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.