community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Sun Lakes, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi S); corn (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sun Lakes?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to May 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sun Lakes, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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 406 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 5 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 Sun Lakes
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Developed, medium intensity; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.1 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 94% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% 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.
How Sun Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 86th | 31st | 39th |
| Arizona | 99th | 98th | 92nd | 61st |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 98th | 95th | 97th | 97th |
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 Sun Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Goodyear Village 1 mi · Chandler 5 mi · Stotonic Village 5 mi · Wet Camp Village 5 mi · Sweet Water Village 7 mi · Lower Santan Village 7 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 Sun Lakes (33.215, -111.87); 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.