community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sneads Ferry?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (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 Sneads Ferry, 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 13.
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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, 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 Sneads Ferry
Mostly: Open water; Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Maritime Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sneads Ferry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 93rd | 35th | 41st |
| North Carolina | 68th | 79th | 35th | 84th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 61st | 88th | 39th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Sneads Ferry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Topsail Beach 6 mi · Holly Ridge 9 mi · Jacksonville 12 mi · Surf City 12 mi · Piney Green 15 mi · Pumpkin Center 16 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 Sneads Ferry (34.5552, -77.3776); 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.