community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Topawa, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (50th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Expect a dearth from late May to early Aug.
When is the honey flow in Topawa?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: May 16 to Aug 15
- Fall flow: May 1 to May 15 (native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Topawa, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; 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 Topawa
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi SW.
How Topawa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 6th | 25th | 3rd | 31st |
| Arizona | 44th | 50th | 31st | 40th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 72nd | 70th | 74th | 66th |
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 Topawa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ali Molina 7 mi · South Komelik 7 mi · Ali Chukson 7 mi · Sells 8 mi · Cowlic 9 mi · Chiawuli Tak 10 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 Topawa (31.8078, -111.8305); 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.