community in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Arbon Valley, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arbon Valley?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), weedy mustards)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arbon Valley, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 114 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jul – early Sep (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 Arbon Valley
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E.
How Arbon Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 30th | 28th | 62nd | 78th |
| Idaho | 33rd | 59th | 31st | 50th |
| Snake River Plain | 38th | 50th | 42nd | 42nd |
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 Arbon Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pocatello 7 mi · Chubbuck 7 mi · Tyhee 8 mi · Fort Hall 11 mi · Aberdeen 13 mi · American Falls 15 mi
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 Arbon Valley (42.8876, -112.5894); 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.