community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Northlakes, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Northlakes?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- 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 Northlakes, 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, 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Northlakes
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Northlakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 94th | 49th | 26th |
| North Carolina | 65th | 86th | 57th | 66th |
| Piedmont | 86th | 90th | 81st | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Northlakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Granite Falls 3 mi · Rhodhiss 4 mi · Hickory 4 mi · Long View 4 mi · Bethlehem 5 mi · Hildebran 5 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 Northlakes (35.7805, -81.3678); 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.