community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Rustburg, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rustburg?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rustburg, 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), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, 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 Rustburg
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi W.
How Rustburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 83rd | 50th | 12th |
| Virginia | 60th | 67th | 64th | 18th |
| Piedmont | 61st | 56th | 82nd | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Rustburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Concord 8 mi · Timberlake 9 mi · Lynchburg 10 mi · Forest 12 mi · Madison Heights 12 mi · Altavista 14 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 Rustburg (37.2722, -79.1001); 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.