city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Rio Communities, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rio Communities?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rio Communities, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Alfalfa: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Rio Communities
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.79 mi SW; open water 0.8 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Rio Communities ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 84th | 47th | 62nd |
| New Mexico | 99th | 99th | 90th | 49th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 98th | 100th | 94th | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Rio Communities: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jarales 3 mi · Sausal 3 mi · Adelino 4 mi · Pueblitos 4 mi · Madrone 5 mi · Tome 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 Rio Communities (34.6452, -106.7158); 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.