community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Salome, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Salome?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking early May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Salome, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early May – late Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, 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 Salome
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Western Warm Temperate Close Grown Crop.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.53 mi SE.
How Salome ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 25th | 60th | 17th | 22nd |
| Arizona | 88th | 87th | 71st | 18th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 86th | 87th | 92nd | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Salome: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wenden 5 mi · Vicksburg 13 mi · Sunwest 14 mi · Utting 18 mi · Brenda 20 mi · Bouse 24 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 Salome (33.7778, -113.606); 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.