community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Top-of-the-World, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Top-of-the-World?
- First forage: Feb 1 (spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Top-of-the-World, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi S, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Top-of-the-World
Mostly: Mogollon Chaparral; Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; North American Warm Desert Bedrock Cliff and Outcrop.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi SE.
How Top-of-the-World ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 18th | 62nd | 7th | 23rd |
| Arizona | 81st | 89th | 46th | 20th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 73rd | 90th | 17th | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 95% 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 Top-of-the-World: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Miami 8 mi · Superior 9 mi · Claypool 10 mi · Central Heights-Midland City 11 mi · Icehouse Canyon 11 mi · Six Shooter Canyon 13 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 Top-of-the-World (33.3477, -110.9997); 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.