community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Casa Colorada, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Casa Colorada?
- First forage: Feb 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Casa Colorada, 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 Apr 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some 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 152 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Casa Colorada
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.73 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.86 mi W.
How Casa Colorada ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 30th | 55th | 39th | 65th |
| New Mexico | 81st | 82nd | 79th | 53rd |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 94th | 95th | 90th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Casa Colorada: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Madrone 2 mi · Veguita 3 mi · Jarales 5 mi · Pueblitos 5 mi · Las Nutrias 6 mi · Rio Communities 7 mi
All towns in New Mexico · 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 Casa Colorada (34.5509, -106.7399); 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.