city in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Chesnee, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peaches (nearest 1.9 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Chesnee?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chesnee, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late May – 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 Chesnee
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SW; open water 0.16 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Chesnee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 96th | 54th | 16th |
| South Carolina | 89th | 96th | 91st | 54th |
| Piedmont | 94th | 96th | 86th | 76th |
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 Chesnee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mayo 4 mi · Fingerville 8 mi · Cowpens 9 mi · Boiling Springs 10 mi · Converse 10 mi · Clifton 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 Chesnee (35.1463, -81.863); 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.