community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Aztec, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); almonds (nearest 1.3 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Aztec?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to May 31, peaking late Apr (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Aztec, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), cotton; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 1,026 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Apr – late May (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Aztec
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi W; open water 0.9 mi NE.
How Aztec ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 27th | 72nd | 5th | 5th |
| Arizona | 89th | 93rd | 37th | 3rd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 86th | 91st | 81st | 9th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Aztec: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dateland 6 mi · Tacna 31 mi · Theba 33 mi · Wellton Hills 43 mi · Ajo 43 mi · Gila Bend 44 mi
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 Aztec (32.8076, -113.4425); 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.