community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Half Moon, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Half Moon?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Half Moon, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), 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 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 502 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Half Moon
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi SW.
How Half Moon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 96th | 44th | 29th |
| North Carolina | 82nd | 93rd | 50th | 69th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 74th | 97th | 48th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Half Moon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pumpkin Center 6 mi · Richlands 7 mi · Jacksonville 8 mi · Piney Green 10 mi · Maysville 14 mi · Potters Hill 17 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 Half Moon (34.8299, -77.4591); 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.