town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chapel Hill?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Aug 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 Chapel Hill, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, 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, 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi S, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 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 Chapel Hill
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Chapel Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 97th | 57th | 36th |
| North Carolina | 90th | 99th | 67th | 77th |
| Piedmont | 98th | 99th | 89th | 95th |
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 Chapel Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carrboro 3 mi · Carolina Meadows 5 mi · Governors Village 5 mi · Governors Club 6 mi · Briar Chapel 8 mi · Durham 9 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 Chapel Hill (35.9283, -79.0414); 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.