community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Theba, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Theba?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to May 31, peaking early May (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Jun 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Theba, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), rabbitbrush, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 10,417 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, 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 Theba
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Alfalfa; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.73 mi N.
How Theba ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 97th | 6th | 4th |
| Arizona | 98th | 100th | 45th | 2nd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 95th | 99th | 85th | 8th |
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 Theba: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gila Bend 11 mi · Arlington 30 mi · Aztec 33 mi · Wintersburg 35 mi · Ajo 36 mi · Goodyear 38 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 Theba (32.9182, -112.8898); 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.