city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, 0.1 mi NE.
When is the honey flow in Rio Rancho?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rio Rancho, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rubber rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
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 Rio Rancho
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Developed-Roads.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.1 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi SW.
How Rio Rancho ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 69th | 52nd | 73rd |
| New Mexico | 98th | 95th | 94th | 66th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 97th | 99th | 95th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Rancho: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Corrales 5 mi · Rio Rancho Estates 6 mi · Paradise Hills 6 mi · Pueblo of Sandia Village 8 mi · Edith Enclave 8 mi · Bernalillo 8 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 Rancho (35.2851, -106.6989); 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.