town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Mineral Springs, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (55th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mineral Springs?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mineral Springs, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 248 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 2 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 Mineral Springs
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.06 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SE.
How Mineral Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 89th | 39th | 13th |
| North Carolina | 52nd | 55th | 43rd | 38th |
| Piedmont | 74th | 73rd | 66th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Mineral Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waxhaw 3 mi · Wesley Chapel 4 mi · Weddington 6 mi · JAARS 7 mi · Monroe 8 mi · Marvin 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 Mineral Springs (34.9442, -80.6864); 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.