community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Santa Cruz, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Expect a dearth from late Jun to late Jul.
When is the honey flow in Santa Cruz?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Jul 31
- Dearth: Nov 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Santa Cruz, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Santa Cruz
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Interior West Ruderal Riparian Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.54 mi W.
How Santa Cruz ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 58th | 6th | 48th |
| Arizona | 96th | 86th | 43rd | 69th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 91st | 86th | 84th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Santa Cruz: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gila Crossing 3 mi · Komatke 4 mi · St. Johns 6 mi · Maricopa Colony 10 mi · Avondale 11 mi · Goodyear 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 Santa Cruz (33.2327, -112.1594); 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.