community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Martinez Lake, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Expect a dearth from early Jun to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Martinez Lake?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), citrus)
- Dearth: Jun 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Martinez Lake, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, citrus, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, garden flowers; amber
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, citrus, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, 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 Martinez Lake
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi N.
How Martinez Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 20th | 42nd | 3rd | 30th |
| Arizona | 84th | 72nd | 31st | 37th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 84th | 79th | 76th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Martinez Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yuma Proving Ground 8 mi · Buckshot 16 mi · El Prado Estates 19 mi · Avenue B and C 21 mi · Donovan Estates 22 mi · Fortuna Foothills 22 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 Martinez Lake (32.9755, -114.4682); 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.