community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Pumpkin Center, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pumpkin Center?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pumpkin Center, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; 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 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Pumpkin Center
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Pumpkin Center ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 96th | 49th | 35th |
| North Carolina | 87th | 95th | 57th | 76th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 80th | 98th | 52nd | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Pumpkin Center: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Piney Green 4 mi · Jacksonville 4 mi · Half Moon 6 mi · Maysville 11 mi · Richlands 13 mi · Swansboro 15 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 Pumpkin Center (34.786, -77.3642); 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.