town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Chapin, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chapin?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (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 Chapin, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi W, blooms late 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 Chapin
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; open water 0.19 mi S.
How Chapin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 89th | 28th | 15th |
| South Carolina | 60th | 70th | 59th | 51st |
| Piedmont | 68th | 73rd | 42nd | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Chapin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Little Mountain 5 mi · Peak 5 mi · Lake Murray of Richland 5 mi · Pomaria 8 mi · Irmo 9 mi · Jenkinsville 11 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 Chapin (34.1653, -81.3393); 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.