town in South Carolina

Honey bee forage in Whitmire, South Carolina

Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Whitmire?

  • First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
  • Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Season ends: Sep 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Whitmire, 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 21.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): 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
  • Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • 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

  • Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi NE, blooms early May – early Jul (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 Whitmire

Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.24 mi E.

How Whitmire ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US64th90th28th19th
South Carolina60th74th58th60th
Piedmont68th78th41st81st

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 73% 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 Whitmire: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Carlisle 10 mi · Joanna 12 mi · Clinton 14 mi · Monarch Mill 15 mi · Union 15 mi · Newberry 16 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 Whitmire (34.5041, -81.6142); 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.