community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Valencia West, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Valencia West?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Valencia West, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, rabbitbrush; extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early Apr – early 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 Valencia West
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi E.
How Valencia West ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 28th | 52nd | 13th | 34th |
| Arizona | 89th | 82nd | 61st | 55th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 86th | 84th | 90th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Valencia West: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tucson Estates 3 mi · Drexel Heights 4 mi · South Tucson 9 mi · Tucson Mountains 10 mi · Summit 11 mi · Three Points 11 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 Valencia West (32.1345, -111.1135); 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.