city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Rockingham, 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 spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 3.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.8 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockingham?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockingham, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, 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
- 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, 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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Rockingham
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Rockingham ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 95th | 41st | 38th |
| North Carolina | 76th | 92nd | 47th | 80th |
| Southeastern Plains | 86th | 95th | 73rd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Rockingham: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Rockingham 2 mi · Roberdel 3 mi · Cordova 4 mi · Dobbins Heights 4 mi · Hamlet 4 mi · Ellerbe 9 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 Rockingham (34.9386, -79.7603); 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.