town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Lyons, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lyons?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lyons, 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): summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Lyons
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi E.
How Lyons ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 73rd | 71st | 59th |
| Colorado | 93rd | 99th | 70th | 26th |
| Southern Rockies | 94th | 100th | 63rd | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Lyons: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Altona 7 mi · Jamestown 10 mi · Longmont 10 mi · Lazy Acres 10 mi · Niwot 10 mi · Glendale 11 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 Lyons (40.2231, -105.2687); 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.