town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Bolton, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it ranks highest in fall (38th percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bolton?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bolton, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 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 Bolton
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi E.
How Bolton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 82nd | 31st | 13th |
| North Carolina | 31st | 29th | 27th | 38th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 29th | 54th | 34th | 30th |
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 Bolton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Arcadia 6 mi · Lake Waccamaw 6 mi · Sandyfield 7 mi · Delco 10 mi · Riegelwood 10 mi · Hallsboro 11 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 Bolton (34.3174, -78.4008); 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.