town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Arapahoe, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arapahoe?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arapahoe, 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 Mar 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; 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): soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 1,336 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,421 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Arapahoe
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi SW.
How Arapahoe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 92nd | 55th | 13th |
| North Carolina | 70th | 70th | 64th | 38th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 62nd | 83rd | 56th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Arapahoe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Minnesott Beach 2 mi · Cherry Branch 6 mi · Neuse Forest 8 mi · Fairfield Harbour 8 mi · Oriental 8 mi · Alliance 8 mi
All towns in North Carolina · 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 Arapahoe (35.0215, -76.826); 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.