community in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Sheldon, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sheldon?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sheldon, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early May – late May (grown 5 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 Sheldon
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi SE.
How Sheldon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 81st | 16th | 34th |
| South Carolina | 62nd | 47th | 21st | 83rd |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 40th | 51st | 16th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Sheldon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lobeco 5 mi · Seabrook 5 mi · Dale 6 mi · Coosawhatchie 8 mi · Yemassee 8 mi · Laurel Bay 9 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 Sheldon (32.5955, -80.7994); 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.