town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Butner, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (59th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Butner?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Butner, 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 1.
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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NW, 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 Butner
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi E; open water 0.17 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 50% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Butner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 89th | 42nd | 21st |
| North Carolina | 45th | 55th | 47th | 59th |
| Piedmont | 70th | 73rd | 71st | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Butner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Creedmoor 4 mi · Stem 4 mi · Gorman 7 mi · Rougemont 11 mi · Durham 14 mi · Oxford 16 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 Butner (36.1343, -78.7407); 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.