city in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Peoria, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it ranks highest in fall (41st percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Expect a dearth from early May to late Sep.
When is the honey flow in Peoria?
- First forage: Jan 1 (native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Dearth: May 1 to Sep 30
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Peoria, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; dark amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs; 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 2 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 Peoria
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.79 mi SW.
How Peoria ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 4th | 16th | 2nd | 32nd |
| Arizona | 29th | 28th | 27th | 41st |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 63rd | 58th | 70th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% 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 Peoria: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sun City West 8 mi · Anthem 11 mi · Surprise 12 mi · Sun City 12 mi · Wittmann 12 mi · El Mirage 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 Peoria (33.7862, -112.308); 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.