community in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Carolina Forest, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carolina Forest?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Carolina Forest, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Carolina Forest
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 50% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Carolina Forest ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 92nd | 29th | 38th |
| South Carolina | 80th | 79th | 60th | 87th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 61st | 84th | 32nd | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Carolina Forest: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Myrtle Beach 4 mi · Forestbrook 4 mi · Red Hill 6 mi · Socastee 8 mi · Conway 9 mi · Briarcliffe Acres 10 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 Carolina Forest (33.7664, -78.9135); 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.