community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Barbecue, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Barbecue?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Barbecue, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms early May – 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 Barbecue
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SE.
How Barbecue ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 90th | 43rd | 36th |
| North Carolina | 55th | 59th | 48th | 77th |
| Southeastern Plains | 74th | 83rd | 74th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Barbecue: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spout Springs 4 mi · Anderson Creek 5 mi · Mamers 8 mi · Broadway 9 mi · Spring Lake 10 mi · Cameron 12 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 Barbecue (35.3252, -79.0379); 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.