community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Spout Springs, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 43% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Spout Springs?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spout Springs, 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 21.
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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 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 Spout Springs
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi NW.
How Spout Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 87th | 36th | 42nd |
| North Carolina | 43rd | 46th | 36th | 84th |
| Southeastern Plains | 66th | 77th | 68th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Spout Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barbecue 4 mi · Anderson Creek 5 mi · Spring Lake 7 mi · Mamers 11 mi · Cameron 12 mi · Broadway 13 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 Spout Springs (35.2736, -79.0456); 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.