community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Datil, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in spring (38th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.28 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in Datil?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 30, peaking early Jul (spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, rubber rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Datil, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, sweet clovers, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, green/yellow rabbitbrush; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Datil
Mostly: Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi N.
How Datil ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 19th | 31st | 43rd | 77th |
| New Mexico | 57th | 38th | 84th | 73rd |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 77th | 40th | 92nd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Datil: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Homestead 2 mi · Pie Town 24 mi · Alamo 27 mi · Magdalena 35 mi · Quemado 40 mi · Aragon 43 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 Datil (34.1389, -107.8413); 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.