community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Orchard Mesa, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peaches (nearest 1.6 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Orchard Mesa?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orchard Mesa, 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 Apr 21.
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): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; 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 61 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Orchard Mesa
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; open water 0.44 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 81% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025); Pears: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Orchard Mesa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 84th | 67th | 65th |
| Colorado | 95th | 100th | 61st | 35th |
| Colorado Plateaus | 99th | 100th | 93rd | 79th |
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 Orchard Mesa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grand Junction 4 mi · Clifton 4 mi · Fruitvale 5 mi · Redlands 8 mi · Palisade 10 mi · Fruita 14 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 Orchard Mesa (39.0374, -108.5228); 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.