town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in McDonald, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McDonald?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jun 30, peaking late May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McDonald, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 661 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 147 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (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 McDonald
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Corn; Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi E.
How McDonald ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 97th | 79th | 4th |
| North Carolina | 97th | 95th | 94th | 6th |
| Southeastern Plains | 98th | 97th | 97th | 20th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 McDonald: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Raynham 2 mi · Elrod 5 mi · Fairmont 5 mi · Rowland 7 mi · Pembroke 9 mi · Proctorville 10 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 McDonald (34.5537, -79.1763); 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.