community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Sandy Level, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (56th percentile) and lowest in summer (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.6 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Sandy Level?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sandy 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra 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
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 5 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 Sandy Level
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi W.
How Sandy Level ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 80th | 32nd | 15th |
| Virginia | 27th | 56th | 22nd | 25th |
| Piedmont | 34th | 45th | 50th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Sandy Level: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ridgeway 7 mi · Chatmoss 8 mi · Laurel Park 9 mi · Martinsville 11 mi · Villa Heights 13 mi · Horse Pasture 13 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 Sandy Level (36.5738, -79.7281); 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.