community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Gila, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 1.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gila?
- First forage: Feb 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gila, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; 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); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Gila
Mostly: Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.57 mi N.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Gila ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 28th | 58th | 28th | 70th |
| New Mexico | 78th | 87th | 57th | 61st |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 92nd | 86th | 67th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Gila: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cliff 3 mi · Buckhorn 10 mi · Little Walnut Village 18 mi · Redrock 20 mi · Silver City 21 mi · Pinos Altos 21 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 Gila (32.9413, -108.5705); 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.