community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in La Mesilla, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cherries (nearest 3.7 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in La Mesilla?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of La Mesilla, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), weedy mustards; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Cherries: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi SE, blooms late Mar – late Apr
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 La Mesilla
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.33 mi S.
How La Mesilla ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 55th | 53rd | 77th |
| New Mexico | 95th | 83rd | 94th | 74th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 96th | 96th | 95th | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 48% 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 La Mesilla: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
El Valle de Arroyo Seco 2 mi · Santa Clara Pueblo 3 mi · Sombrillo 3 mi · El Rancho 4 mi · Jaconita 4 mi · Santa Cruz 4 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 La Mesilla (35.9419, -106.0641); 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.