city in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Scottsdale, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.0 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Scottsdale?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Scottsdale, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi S, blooms early Apr – 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 Scottsdale
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.46 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Scottsdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 63rd | 22nd | 38th |
| Arizona | 97th | 89th | 80th | 59th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 92nd | 88th | 93rd | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Scottsdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fountain Hills 9 mi · Carefree 10 mi · Paradise Valley 11 mi · Rio Verde 11 mi · Cave Creek 13 mi · Phoenix 15 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 Scottsdale (33.6843, -111.8614); 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.