town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Bluffton, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (63rd percentile) and lowest in summer (3rd). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Bluffton?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bluffton, 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 Feb 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Bluffton
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Bluffton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 62nd | 9th | 20th |
| South Carolina | 15th | 5th | 3rd | 63rd |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 21st | 38th | 43rd | 21st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Bluffton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Daufuskie Island 8 mi · Hardeeville 9 mi · Hilton Head Island 11 mi · Shell Point 15 mi · Port Royal 17 mi · Ridgeland 18 mi
All towns in South 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 Bluffton (32.2144, -80.9295); 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.