community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Cope, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here); millet (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Cope?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cope, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, dandelion; 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 132 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 5 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 Cope
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.41 mi S.
How Cope ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 54th | 72nd | 56th |
| Colorado | 80th | 90th | 71st | 22nd |
| High Plains | 74th | 70th | 65th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Cope: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Joes 9 mi · Kirk 14 mi · Seibert 25 mi · Vona 26 mi · Flagler 28 mi · Stratton 28 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 Cope (39.6642, -102.8451); 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.