city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Mebane, 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 (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (64th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mebane?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mebane, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 1.2 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 5 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 Mebane
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.18 mi SW; open water 0.22 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mebane ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 97th | 55th | 30th |
| North Carolina | 82nd | 96th | 64th | 70th |
| Piedmont | 95th | 97th | 87th | 92nd |
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 Mebane: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Woodlawn 3 mi · Haw River 5 mi · Green Level 5 mi · Swepsonville 6 mi · Efland 6 mi · Graham 7 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 Mebane (36.0817, -79.2767); 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.