town in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Superior, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (61st percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Expect a dearth from late Jun to early Aug.
When is the honey flow in Superior?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Aug 15
- Fall flow: May 1 to May 15 (native wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Superior, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, native wildflowers, dandelion; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Superior
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Mogollon Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi N.
How Superior ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 9th | 32nd | 4th | 32nd |
| Arizona | 58th | 61st | 37th | 52nd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 77th | 75th | 80th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 90% 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 Superior: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Top-of-the-World 9 mi · Queen Valley 10 mi · Miami 17 mi · Gold Canyon 18 mi · Claypool 19 mi · Icehouse Canyon 19 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 Superior (33.2716, -111.1242); 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.