town in South Carolina

Honey bee forage in Hickory Grove, South Carolina

Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (60th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.11 mi W.

When is the honey flow in Hickory Grove?

  • 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Season ends: Aug 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hickory Grove, 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 25.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
  • Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra 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 Hickory Grove

Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi E.

How Hickory Grove ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US54th86th27th6th
South Carolina45th60th56th20th
Piedmont52nd63rd39th30th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 87% 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 Hickory Grove: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Smyrna 5 mi · Sharon 5 mi · Cherokee Falls 9 mi · York 11 mi · Blacksburg 11 mi · McConnells 13 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 Hickory Grove (34.9774, -81.4196); 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.