community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Schooner Bay, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Schooner Bay?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Schooner Bay, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 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 Schooner Bay
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Schooner Bay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 67th | 49th | 50th |
| Virginia | 31st | 9th | 62nd | 90th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 15th | 19th | 52nd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Schooner Bay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Deep Creek 1 mi · Southside Chesconessex 1 mi · Bayside 3 mi · Onancock 4 mi · Lee Mont 5 mi · Greenbush 5 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 Schooner Bay (37.7637, -75.7686); 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.