city in Arizona
Honey bee forage in San Luis, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 0.8 mi NE); cotton (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in San Luis?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, citrus)
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 30 (cotton, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of San Luis, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), citrus, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, cotton, cantaloupes, rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), citrus, dandelion; 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
- Citrus: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms late Feb – late Apr
- Cotton: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 83 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, 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 San Luis
Mostly: Unmapped; Barren; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: open water 1.33 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 2.41 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025); Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
- No mapped water within a mile. Plan to provide water. Small ponds, ditches, troughs and pools don't show on these maps.
How San Luis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 22nd | 49th | 8th | 14th |
| Arizona | 85th | 80th | 50th | 9th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 84th | 83rd | 87th | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around San Luis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gadsden 6 mi · Somerton 8 mi · Rancho Mesa Verde 8 mi · Orange Grove Mobile Manor 9 mi · Drysdale 11 mi · Yuma 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 San Luis (32.4857, -114.7219); 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.