community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Southern Ute, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Southern Ute?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Southern Ute, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 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 Southern Ute
Mostly: Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi W.
How Southern Ute ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 51st | 65th | 75th |
| Colorado | 75th | 88th | 57th | 53rd |
| Colorado Plateaus | 96th | 98th | 92nd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Southern Ute: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ignacio 4 mi · Arboles 10 mi · Bayfield 11 mi · Durango 20 mi · Marvel 29 mi · Piedra 34 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 Southern Ute (37.0749, -107.5933); 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.