town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Norlina, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in summer (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Norlina?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Norlina, 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 Apr 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late May – late 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 Norlina
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.36 mi S; open water 0.36 mi S.
How Norlina ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 93rd | 67th | 12th |
| North Carolina | 76th | 75th | 80th | 35th |
| Piedmont | 92nd | 85th | 96th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Norlina: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Warrenton 4 mi · Macon 6 mi · Middleburg 8 mi · Henderson 15 mi · South Henderson 15 mi · Littleton 16 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 Norlina (36.4449, -78.1952); 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.