community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Columbine, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Columbine?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Columbine, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Columbine
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.24 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 99% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Columbine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 92nd | 78th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 100th | 100th | 87th | 68th |
| High Plains | 100th | 100th | 82nd | 83rd |
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 Columbine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Columbine Valley 2 mi · Ken Caryl 3 mi · Littleton 3 mi · Bow Mar 3 mi · Dakota Ridge 4 mi · Sheridan 5 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 Columbine (39.5886, -105.0692); 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.