community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Fortuna Foothills, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fortuna Foothills?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: May 1 to Jun 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fortuna Foothills, 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 9.
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, rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms late Mar – late May (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 Fortuna Foothills
Mostly: Barren; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; open water 0.5 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Fortuna Foothills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 20th | 42nd | 10th | 21st |
| Arizona | 83rd | 73rd | 55th | 17th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 84th | 80th | 88th | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Fortuna Foothills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Buckshot 7 mi · El Prado Estates 8 mi · Wellton 11 mi · Yuma 12 mi · Padre Ranchitos 14 mi · Yuma Proving Ground 14 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 Fortuna Foothills (32.6616, -114.3974); 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.