community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Northchase, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Northchase?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Northchase, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 176 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 216 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early May – early 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 Northchase
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Northchase ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 94th | 41st | 30th |
| North Carolina | 75th | 85th | 46th | 70th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 67th | 92nd | 45th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Northchase: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blue Clay Farms 1 mi · Murraysville 2 mi · Skippers Corner 2 mi · Kings Grant 3 mi · Wrightsboro 3 mi · Castle Hayne 4 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 Northchase (34.3078, -77.8775); 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.