town in Virginia

Honey bee forage in Scottsville, Virginia

Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Scottsville?

  • First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion)
  • Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Season ends: Sep 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Scottsville, 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, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 126 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Scottsville

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) 0.15 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi N.

How Scottsville ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US58th83rd48th14th
Virginia57th67th60th22nd
Piedmont59th56th79th68th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 77% 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 Scottsville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Esmont 6 mi · Lake Monticello 11 mi · Schuyler 11 mi · North Garden 13 mi · Palmyra 13 mi · Rivanna 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 Scottsville (37.8113, -78.4882); 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.