village in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Des Moines, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer and fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (72nd). Nearest mapped water: open water, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Des Moines?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Des Moines, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, dandelion; 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 Des Moines
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland; Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.06 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE.
How Des Moines ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 45th | 51st | 57th | 88th |
| New Mexico | 96th | 72nd | 95th | 95th |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 85th | 43rd | 89th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 90% 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 Des Moines: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Folsom 8 mi · Capulin 9 mi · Grenville 17 mi · Raton 35 mi · Maxwell 42 mi · Clayton 44 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 Des Moines (36.7613, -103.8341); 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.