town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Gibsonville, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gibsonville?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gibsonville, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, soybeans; 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, soybeans; 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, soybeans; 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 89 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi N, blooms late May – late 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 Gibsonville
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.51 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 73% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Gibsonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 97th | 59th | 32nd |
| North Carolina | 89th | 98th | 70th | 73rd |
| Piedmont | 98th | 99th | 91st | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Gibsonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elon 2 mi · Whitsett 2 mi · Glen Raven 4 mi · Burlington 5 mi · Sedalia 5 mi · Ossipee 5 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 Gibsonville (36.1022, -79.543); 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.