city in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Folly Beach, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (below the 1st). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Folly Beach?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Folly Beach, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 Folly Beach
Mostly: Open water; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NE.
How Folly Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 19th | 45th | 14th | 59th |
| South Carolina | 1st | below the 1st | 17th | 99th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 4th | 5th | 71st | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Folly Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
James Island 5 mi · Kiawah Island 7 mi · Sullivan's Island 10 mi · Charleston 11 mi · Mount Pleasant 11 mi · Rockville 14 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 Folly Beach (32.6693, -79.9606); 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.