community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Arapahoe, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arapahoe?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arapahoe, 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 Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 226 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 84 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Arapahoe
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Corn; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi SW; open water 0.47 mi SE.
How Arapahoe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 50th | 68th | 50th |
| Colorado | 71st | 85th | 64th | 16th |
| High Plains | 58th | 60th | 58th | 39th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Arapahoe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cheyenne Wells 10 mi · Towner 27 mi · Sheridan Lake 27 mi · Brandon 31 mi · Burlington 32 mi · Kit Carson 34 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 Arapahoe (38.8529, -102.1789); 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.