town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Varnamtown, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Varnamtown?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Varnamtown, 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), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, 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 Varnamtown
Mostly: Open water; Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi NE.
How Varnamtown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 89th | 35th | 48th |
| North Carolina | 61st | 59th | 35th | 94th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 52nd | 76th | 39th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Varnamtown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Holden Beach 6 mi · Oak Island 7 mi · St. James 8 mi · Shallotte 9 mi · Bolivia 10 mi · Boiling Spring Lakes 10 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 Varnamtown (33.9458, -78.2327); 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.