community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Orogrande, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 8% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it ranks highest in spring (29th percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Expect a dearth from early Jun to late Jul.
When is the honey flow in Orogrande?
- First forage: Feb 1 (native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking late Mar (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Dearth: Jun 1 to Jul 31
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31 (rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orogrande, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 Orogrande
Mostly: Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub; Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.92 mi NE.
How Orogrande ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 5th | 25th | 5th | 42nd |
| New Mexico | 8th | 29th | 6th | 25th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 17th | 18th | 24th | 39th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 97% 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 Orogrande: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
White Sands 22 mi · Organ 29 mi · Chaparral 30 mi · Timberon 30 mi · Boles Acres 31 mi · Butterfield Park 31 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 Orogrande (32.3893, -106.1085); 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.