town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Nichols, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (80th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Nichols?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Mar (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nichols, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 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 Nichols
Mostly: Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NE.
How Nichols ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 97th | 39th | 43rd |
| South Carolina | 96th | 97th | 80th | 91st |
| Southeastern Plains | 94th | 97th | 71st | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Nichols: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mullins 6 mi · Lake View 8 mi · Ketchuptown 9 mi · Zion 9 mi · Floydale 12 mi · Green Sea 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 Nichols (34.2352, -79.1491); 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.