town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Ruby, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in summer (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ruby?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ruby, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Soybeans: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late May – late 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 Ruby
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W.
How Ruby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 89th | 53rd | 6th |
| South Carolina | 73rd | 72nd | 91st | 20th |
| Piedmont | 82nd | 75th | 85th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Ruby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Croghan 3 mi · Chesterfield 6 mi · Pageland 12 mi · Jefferson 13 mi · Patrick 14 mi · Cheraw 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 Ruby (34.7482, -80.1791); 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.