town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Beaufort, 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 fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Beaufort?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Beaufort, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra 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 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Beaufort
Mostly: Open water; Open Water; Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Maritime Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.07 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 76% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Beaufort ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 93rd | 41st | 42nd |
| North Carolina | 70th | 75th | 46th | 85th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 62nd | 86th | 45th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Beaufort: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Morehead City 5 mi · Atlantic Beach 5 mi · Harkers Island 6 mi · Gloucester 6 mi · Marshallberg 8 mi · Brandywine Bay 10 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 Beaufort (34.7227, -76.6512); 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.