community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Indian Wells, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in fall (73rd percentile) and lowest in spring (18th). Expect a dearth in late Jul.
When is the honey flow in Indian Wells?
- First forage: Mar 16 (native wildflowers, weedy mustards, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Dearth: Jul 16 to Jul 31
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Indian Wells, 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 Apr 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, weedy mustards; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): green/yellow rabbitbrush, asters, rubber rabbitbrush, native wildflowers; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush, asters; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; amber
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Indian Wells
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Colorado Plateau Mixed Bedrock Canyon and Tableland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; pond, lake or river 1.52 mi W.
How Indian Wells ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 4th | 10th | 9th | 51st |
| Arizona | 28th | 18th | 52nd | 73rd |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 9th | 6th | 13th | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Indian Wells: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dilkon 12 mi · Whitecone 13 mi · Greasewood 16 mi · Tees Toh 17 mi · Seba Dalkai 20 mi · Toyei 23 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 Indian Wells (35.4093, -110.1144); 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.