community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Unionville, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (63rd percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.8 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Unionville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Unionville, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Unionville
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) 0.1 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SE.
How Unionville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 82nd | 47th | 12th |
| Virginia | 52nd | 63rd | 59th | 18th |
| Piedmont | 55th | 52nd | 79th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Unionville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rhoadesville 3 mi · Orange 7 mi · Blue Ridge Shores 11 mi · Lake of the Woods 13 mi · Lake Wilderness 14 mi · Gordonsville 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 Unionville (38.2578, -77.9771); 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.