town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Garner, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 3.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Garner?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 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 Garner, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, 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 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms early May – early Jul (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 Garner
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 81% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Garner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 52nd | 36th |
| North Carolina | 84th | 96th | 61st | 77th |
| Piedmont | 96th | 97th | 85th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Garner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Knightdale 10 mi · Clayton 10 mi · Raleigh 10 mi · Fuquay-Varina 10 mi · Holly Springs 13 mi · Cary 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 Garner (35.6895, -78.6146); 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.