city in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Poquoson, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 0% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (below the 1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Poquoson?
- First forage: Feb 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Aug 31, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Poquoson, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi S, 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 Poquoson
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Open Water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Poquoson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 12th | 34th | 21st | 59th |
| Virginia | below the 1st | below the 1st | 2nd | 99th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | below the 1st | 1st | 23rd | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Poquoson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hampton 6 mi · Bethel Manor 7 mi · Newport News 13 mi · Yorktown 14 mi · Gloucester Point 14 mi · Norfolk 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 Poquoson (37.1284, -76.3035); 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.