town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in St. Stephen, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi SE); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Stephen?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Stephen, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, 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); 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 293 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 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 St. Stephen
Mostly: Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin and Canebrake Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi W.
How St. Stephen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 93rd | 30th | 19th |
| South Carolina | 78th | 82nd | 61st | 62nd |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 58th | 87th | 33rd | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 St. Stephen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Russellville 2 mi · Bonneau 6 mi · Bonneau Beach 7 mi · Lane 9 mi · Greeleyville 13 mi · Pinopolis 14 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 St. Stephen (33.4026, -79.9252); 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.