community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Wintersburg, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.5 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wintersburg?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wintersburg, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, 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 736 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NW, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 143 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi NW, 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 Wintersburg
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.66 mi NE.
How Wintersburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 37th | 5th | 27th |
| Arizona | 70th | 67th | 41st | 28th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 80th | 77th | 83rd | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Wintersburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tonopah 6 mi · Arlington 8 mi · Buckeye 13 mi · Citrus Park 26 mi · Surprise 30 mi · Litchfield Park 30 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 Wintersburg (33.4196, -112.8676); 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.