city in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Loris, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Loris?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 30, peaking early Mar (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Loris, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, 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
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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): soybeans, 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
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 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 126 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Loris
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Loris ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 96th | 48th | 22nd |
| South Carolina | 92nd | 94th | 88th | 66th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 76th | 96th | 51st | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Loris: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Live Oak 3 mi · Finklea 6 mi · Green Sea 7 mi · Homewood 15 mi · Ketchuptown 16 mi · Conway 18 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 Loris (34.0575, -78.8884); 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.