community in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Clifton, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (66th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clifton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clifton, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (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 Clifton
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi SE; open water 0.04 mi SE.
How Clifton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 88th | 29th | 15th |
| South Carolina | 54th | 66th | 60th | 50th |
| Piedmont | 62nd | 69th | 44th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Clifton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Converse 1 mi · Cowpens 2 mi · Glendale 3 mi · Drayton 5 mi · Ben Avon 5 mi · Whitney 6 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 Clifton (34.9861, -81.8204); 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.