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Honey bee forage in Marana, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (52nd percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Expect a dearth from late Jun to late Sep.
When is the honey flow in Marana?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Dearth: May 16 to May 31
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Sep 30
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Marana, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush, dandelion, native wildflowers; 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 204 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi W, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 219 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 5 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 Marana
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.72 mi NE.
How Marana ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 7th | 26th | 4th | 32nd |
| Arizona | 48th | 52nd | 34th | 41st |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 74th | 70th | 78th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Marana: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rillito 4 mi · Nelson 8 mi · Oro Valley 10 mi · Casas Adobes 11 mi · Picture Rocks 12 mi · Avra Valley 12 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 Marana (32.4659, -111.1354); 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.