community in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Lake Murray of Richland, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it ranks highest in fall (48th percentile) and lowest in spring (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.4 mi NE); cotton (nearest 3.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Murray of Richland?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Murray of Richland, 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 14.
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 trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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), 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
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NE, blooms late May – early Jun (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Lake Murray of Richland
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W; open water 0.04 mi W.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% 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 Lake Murray of Richland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 69th | 23rd | 14th |
| South Carolina | 17th | 15th | 46th | 48th |
| Piedmont | 20th | 12th | 31st | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Lake Murray of Richland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Irmo 4 mi · Chapin 5 mi · Peak 9 mi · Seven Oaks 9 mi · Lexington 9 mi · Little Mountain 10 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 Lake Murray of Richland (34.1207, -81.2654); 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.