community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in James City, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in James City?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of James City, 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 14.
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 trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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 0.9 mi S, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms late May – early 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 James City
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.24 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How James City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 93rd | 36th | 34th |
| North Carolina | 64th | 76th | 37th | 74th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 56th | 86th | 40th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 James City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairfield Harbour 3 mi · Brices Creek 5 mi · New Bern 5 mi · Bridgeton 6 mi · Trent Woods 6 mi · Neuse Forest 6 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 James City (35.0454, -76.9981); 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.