city in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Willcox, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (77th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Willcox?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willcox, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Willcox
Mostly: Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Loamy Plains Desert Grassland; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.27 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.59 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Willcox ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 73rd | 28th | 55th |
| Arizona | 96th | 94th | 89th | 77th |
| Madrean Archipelago | 95th | 88th | 94th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Willcox: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dragoon 20 mi · Bowie 21 mi · Sunsites 21 mi · Sunizona 28 mi · Swift Trail Junction 34 mi · St. David 34 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 Willcox (32.2518, -109.8357); 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.