city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Clovis, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clovis?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clovis, 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 Mar 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra 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
- Sorghum: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early May – late 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 Clovis
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.16 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Clovis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 92nd | 64th | 41st |
| New Mexico | 100th | 100th | 97th | 23rd |
| High Plains | 95th | 100th | 45th | 31st |
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 Clovis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cannon AFB 8 mi · Texico 9 mi · Portales 20 mi · Melrose 25 mi · Floyd 26 mi · Grady 27 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 Clovis (34.4386, -103.1942); 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.