community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Scenic, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Scenic?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Scenic, 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 Mar 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; 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 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 3 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 Scenic
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Interior West Ruderal Riparian Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.58 mi NW.
How Scenic ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 10th | 37th | 6th | 31st |
| Arizona | 59th | 67th | 44th | 40th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 89th | 88th | 85th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Scenic: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Littlefield 7 mi · Beaver Dam 9 mi · Grand Canyon West 56 mi · Centennial Park 58 mi · Colorado City 58 mi · Meadview 58 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 Scenic (36.7936, -114.0128); 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.