community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Wikieup, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Expect a dearth in late Jun.
When is the honey flow in Wikieup?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Jun 30
- Fall flow: May 1 to May 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wikieup, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), rabbitbrush; 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 3 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 Wikieup
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Interior West Ruderal Riparian Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi NE.
How Wikieup ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 18th | 46th | 5th | 36th |
| Arizona | 82nd | 78th | 39th | 57th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 83rd | 82nd | 81st | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Wikieup: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bagdad 25 mi · Alamo Lake 31 mi · Pine Lake 31 mi · Yucca 33 mi · Pinion Pines 36 mi · Lazy Y U 37 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 Wikieup (34.693, -113.5995); 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.