city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Sugar City, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sugar City?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sugar City, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September 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
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 3,491 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 82 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Sugar City
Mostly: Alfalfa; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi S.
How Sugar City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 42nd | 84th | 88th |
| Idaho | 91st | 78th | 89th | 70th |
| Snake River Plain | 86th | 75th | 88th | 66th |
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 Sugar City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rexburg 4 mi · Teton 4 mi · Parker 6 mi · St. Anthony 7 mi · Newdale 7 mi · Menan 16 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 Sugar City (43.8747, -111.7524); 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.