community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Four Square Mile, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Four Square Mile?
- 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 Four Square Mile, 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): 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
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, 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 Four Square Mile
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NE; open water 0.57 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 97% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Four Square Mile ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 78th | 71st | 74th |
| Colorado | 95th | 99th | 69th | 52nd |
| High Plains | 92nd | 98th | 64th | 71st |
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 Four Square Mile: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Holly Hills 2 mi · Glendale 3 mi · Cherry Hills Village 4 mi · Greenwood Village 5 mi · Cherry Creek 5 mi · Denver 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 Four Square Mile (39.6807, -104.8879); 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.