city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Sun Valley, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sun Valley?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sun 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 Jun 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, snowberry; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, 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 Sun Valley
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi NE.
How Sun Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 38th | 79th | 95th |
| Idaho | 78th | 72nd | 66th | 85th |
| Idaho Batholith | 75th | 83rd | 51st | 69th |
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 Sun Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ketchum 2 mi · Hailey 12 mi · Bellevue 15 mi · Gannett 24 mi · Carey 32 mi · Fairfield 33 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 Sun Valley (43.6839, -114.3342); 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.