community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in San Antonio, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in San Antonio?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Mar (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of San Antonio, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 252 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early May – early Jul (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 San Antonio
Mostly: Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi E.
How San Antonio ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 45th | 69th | 38th | 39th |
| New Mexico | 96th | 95th | 78th | 22nd |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 93rd | 88th | 99th | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 San Antonio: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
San Antonito 2 mi · Luis Lopez 5 mi · Socorro 10 mi · Escondida 13 mi · Lemitar 17 mi · Polvadera 20 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 San Antonio (33.9162, -106.87); 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.