community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Willow Canyon, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (68th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Willow Canyon?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willow Canyon, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
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 Willow Canyon
Mostly: Mogollon Chaparral; Madrean Encinal; Madrean Lower Montane Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi S.
How Willow Canyon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 84th | 21st | 46th |
| Arizona | 96th | 98th | 79th | 68th |
| Madrean Archipelago | 94th | 98th | 80th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% 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 Willow Canyon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Summerhaven 6 mi · Tanque Verde 9 mi · Campo Bonito 12 mi · Catalina Foothills 12 mi · Catalina 13 mi · Kleindale 15 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 Willow Canyon (32.3877, -110.7008); 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.