village in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Forest Hills, 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 (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Forest Hills?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Forest Hills, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Corn: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 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 Forest Hills
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.74 mi E.
How Forest Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 94th | 36th | 47th |
| North Carolina | 55th | 85th | 36th | 93rd |
| Blue Ridge | 89th | 91st | 72nd | 71st |
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 Forest Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cullowhee 1 mi · Webster 4 mi · Sylva 6 mi · Dillsboro 6 mi · Glenville 10 mi · Whittier 13 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 Forest Hills (35.2958, -83.1954); 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.