community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Rio Rancho Estates, 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 fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (75th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.15 mi S.
When is the honey flow in Rio Rancho Estates?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, weedy mustards, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 31 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rio Rancho Estates, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, weedy mustards; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, asters, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
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 Estates
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Developed-Roads.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S; pond, lake or river 1.22 mi NE.
How Rio Rancho Estates ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 52nd | 47th | 89th |
| New Mexico | 94th | 75th | 90th | 97th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 96th | 94th | 94th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Rio Rancho Estates: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rio Rancho 6 mi · Paradise Hills 9 mi · Corrales 11 mi · Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 13 mi · Pueblo of Sandia Village 13 mi · North Valley 13 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 Estates (35.3004, -106.7985); 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.