community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Neuse Forest, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Neuse Forest?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Neuse Forest, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms early 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 Neuse Forest
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi NE.
How Neuse Forest ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 88th | 28th | 27th |
| North Carolina | 46th | 52nd | 22nd | 68th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 40th | 72nd | 31st | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Neuse Forest: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Havelock 5 mi · James City 6 mi · Minnesott Beach 7 mi · Fairfield Harbour 7 mi · Arapahoe 8 mi · Cherry Branch 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 Neuse Forest (34.9651, -76.9443); 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.