community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Hays, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (57th percentile) and lowest in fall (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hays?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hays, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra 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), summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 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 Hays
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.24 mi SW; open water 0.26 mi SW.
How Hays ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 89th | 44th | 5th |
| North Carolina | 40th | 57th | 51st | 9th |
| Piedmont | 66th | 74th | 75th | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 76% 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 Hays: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mulberry 3 mi · Fairplains 4 mi · North Wilkesboro 5 mi · Cricket 7 mi · Millers Creek 8 mi · Wilkesboro 8 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 Hays (36.2469, -81.1142); 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.