city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Downey, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); safflower (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Downey?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Downey, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 298 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Downey
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Alfalfa; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi W.
How Downey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 47th | 85th | 83rd |
| Idaho | 94th | 86th | 93rd | 62nd |
| Northern Basin and Range | 99th | 98th | 99th | 53rd |
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 Downey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Arimo 9 mi · Oxford 13 mi · Lava Hot Springs 14 mi · McCammon 16 mi · Malad City 18 mi · Clifton 18 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 Downey (42.4289, -112.1233); 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.