city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Southport, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Southport?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- 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 Southport, 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 10.
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 0.5 mi N, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, 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 Southport
Mostly: Open water; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Southport ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 93rd | 34th | 43rd |
| North Carolina | 67th | 73rd | 34th | 87th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 59th | 85th | 38th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Southport: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Caswell Beach 3 mi · Bald Head Island 5 mi · St. James 5 mi · Oak Island 6 mi · Kure Beach 7 mi · Boiling Spring Lakes 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 Southport (33.9333, -78.0085); 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.