town in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Surfside Beach, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (82nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.7 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Surfside Beach?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Surfside Beach, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 3.7 mi W, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Surfside Beach
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.3 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 94% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Surfside Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 94th | 42nd | 45th |
| South Carolina | 89th | 85th | 82nd | 93rd |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 72nd | 90th | 46th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Surfside Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garden City 2 mi · Socastee 6 mi · Murrells Inlet 6 mi · Forestbrook 8 mi · Myrtle Beach 9 mi · Bucksport 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 Surfside Beach (33.6097, -78.9775); 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.