community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Lemitar, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 1.5 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Lemitar?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lemitar, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 420 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 3 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 Lemitar
Mostly: Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Apples: insecticides used on about 77% 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 Lemitar ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 66th | 37th | 42nd |
| New Mexico | 94th | 93rd | 77th | 25th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 90th | 84th | 98th | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Lemitar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Polvadera 3 mi · Escondida 4 mi · Chamizal 4 mi · Alamillo 7 mi · San Acacia 7 mi · Socorro 7 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 Lemitar (34.155, -106.9122); 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.