community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in North Light Plant, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (65th percentile) and lowest in spring (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 3.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North Light Plant?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North Light Plant, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, weedy mustards; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, native wildflowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush; dark amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush, native wildflowers; 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
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Popcorn and ornamental corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 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 North Light Plant
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Shrubland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi NW.
How North Light Plant ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 16th | 35th | 31st | 72nd |
| New Mexico | 49th | 45th | 64th | 65th |
| Colorado Plateaus | 82nd | 92nd | 74th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 North Light Plant: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spencerville 3 mi · Center Point 4 mi · Aztec 5 mi · Flora Vista 5 mi · South River 6 mi · Crouch Mesa 9 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 North Light Plant (36.867, -108.0331); 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.