town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Quantico, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it ranks highest in fall (44th percentile) and lowest in spring (1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Quantico?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Quantico, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi E, blooms early Apr – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Quantico
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi E.
How Quantico ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 21st | 59th | 26th | 27th |
| Virginia | 1st | 1st | 8th | 44th |
| Southeastern Plains | 4th | 8th | 54th | 84th |
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 Quantico: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Quantico Base 2 mi · Triangle 2 mi · Cherry Hill 3 mi · Dumfries 4 mi · Leesylvania 6 mi · Aquia Harbour 7 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 Quantico (38.5224, -77.2901); 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.