town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Frederick, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Frederick?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Frederick, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 121 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Frederick
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Fallow / idle cropland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 1 mi N.
How Frederick ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 61st | 78th | 63rd |
| Colorado | 92nd | 96th | 86th | 32nd |
| High Plains | 88th | 84th | 81st | 55th |
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 Frederick: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dacono 3 mi · Firestone 4 mi · Erie 6 mi · Longmont 8 mi · Leyner 8 mi · Mead 8 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 Frederick (40.1059, -104.9745); 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.