Build the collection network
The project identified primary and backup collectors across 15 local associations and 19 sites, and assigned samples to pollen analysts.
South Carolina Statewide Honey Pollen Analysis
What plants are bees using?
And when?
Explore a statewide project connecting beekeepers and pollen specialists to better understand the plants behind South Carolina honey.
Completed project · Final publication · July 2025
Preferred Plants and Nectar Collecting Times for Honey Production
The completed statewide study draws on data from 19 South Carolina apiaries. This Clemson Extension publication shares the findings on nectar plants and seasonal flows, with guidance for planning honey production.
By David MacFawn, Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe, Sophie Warny, Carol Wymer, and June Rampy Ponder.
Full-text PDF: approximately 77 MB. The Clemson publication page also provides an online reading option.
Explore the project
From the bee yard
to the pollen microscope.
The South Carolina Honey Pollen Analysis Project brought together beekeepers and three melissopalynologists—scientists who analyze pollen in honey samples.
The project’s central question is simple: which plants are bees using, and when? Its collection and analysis work was designed to help reveal nectar sources and bloom patterns across South Carolina.
Three research questions
What. When. Whether.
What plants provide nectar?
Identify regional nectar sources through analysis of pollen in collected honey.
When do those plants bloom?
Use routine honey sample collections across a calendar year to investigate bloom timing.
Does maple provide nectar as well as pollen?
Investigate the late-January and early-February maple bloom.
Historical project background
From collection to published findings.
This archive describes the project's 2021–2024 collection and analysis period. Explore the historical milestones below, or use the project reports and published article linked above.
Collect honey through the seasons
Beekeepers collected honey during nectar flows and checked for available nectar during dearth periods.
Process samples and analyze pollen
The project processed honey samples, analyzed pollen data, prepared tables, and presented preliminary results at regional meetings.
Share the project story
The September 2024 Bee Culture feature is available through the article link above.
Final findings published
Clemson Extension Publishing released Preferred Plants and Nectar Collecting Times for Honey Production in July 2025. Read the completed study using the featured publication link above.
The South Carolina Honey Pollen Analysis Project was funded by an award from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service through Specialty Crop Block Program grant 21SCBPSC1010.