town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Wellington, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wellington?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wellington, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Corn: about 484 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Wellington
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.33 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 68% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Wellington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 70th | 80th | 86th |
| Colorado | 98th | 99th | 91st | 74th |
| High Plains | 97th | 94th | 87th | 87th |
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 Wellington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Laporte 8 mi · Fort Collins 11 mi · Timnath 11 mi · Nunn 11 mi · Pierce 12 mi · Severance 15 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 Wellington (40.6977, -105.0063); 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.