city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Shelby, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelby?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Aug 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 Shelby, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, 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 Shelby
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.58 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.71 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Shelby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 56th | 39th |
| North Carolina | 84th | 96th | 66th | 81st |
| Piedmont | 96th | 97th | 88th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Shelby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Light Oak 4 mi · Patterson Springs 4 mi · Kingstown 6 mi · Earl 7 mi · Lattimore 7 mi · Boiling Springs 7 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 Shelby (35.2904, -81.5456); 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.