town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Lilesville, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it ranks highest in spring (48th percentile) and lowest in summer (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lilesville?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lilesville, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 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 Lilesville
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi W.
How Lilesville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 87th | 29th | 16th |
| North Carolina | 37th | 48th | 25th | 46th |
| Piedmont | 63rd | 68th | 44th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Lilesville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wadesboro 5 mi · Morven 7 mi · Cordova 10 mi · McFarlan 11 mi · Ansonville 12 mi · Polkton 12 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 Lilesville (34.9675, -79.9845); 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.