town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Phenix, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Phenix?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Phenix, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, 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 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 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 Phenix
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi NE.
How Phenix ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 86th | 45th | 23rd |
| Virginia | 64th | 75th | 56th | 38th |
| Piedmont | 63rd | 63rd | 76th | 86th |
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 Phenix: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Charlotte Court House 6 mi · Drakes Branch 10 mi · Brookneal 12 mi · Pamplin City 13 mi · Nathalie 14 mi · Keysville 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 Phenix (37.0811, -78.7485); 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.