city in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Isle of Palms?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Isle of Palms, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 4 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 Isle of Palms
Mostly: Open water; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.07 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Isle of Palms ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 75th | 30th | 55th |
| South Carolina | 61st | 28th | 62nd | 98th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 59th | 71st | 96th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Isle of Palms: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sullivan's Island 5 mi · Mount Pleasant 7 mi · James Island 12 mi · Awendaw 13 mi · Charleston 13 mi · Folly Beach 15 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 Isle of Palms (32.8039, -79.7524); 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.