community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Altona, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Altona?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Altona, 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 May 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Altona
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland; Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi S.
How Altona ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 60th | 66th | 57th |
| Colorado | 79th | 96th | 58th | 25th |
| Southern Rockies | 81st | 100th | 49th | 29th |
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 Altona: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lazy Acres 3 mi · Glendale 5 mi · Jamestown 5 mi · Sunshine 6 mi · Pine Brook Hill 6 mi · Seven Hills 6 mi
All towns in Colorado · National map · How the scoring works
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 Altona (40.1219, -105.2962); 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.