community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in San Luis, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (22nd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in San Luis?
- First forage: Mar 1 (weedy mustards, arrowleaf balsamroot, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31, peaking early Aug (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of San Luis, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, weedy mustards, arrowleaf balsamroot, native wildflowers; white, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): green/yellow rabbitbrush, asters, native wildflowers, rubber rabbitbrush; amber
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, rubber rabbitbrush, asters; amber
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 San Luis
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.6 mi S.
How San Luis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 12th | 21st | 25th | 87th |
| New Mexico | 40th | 22nd | 48th | 94th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 64th | 40th | 63rd | 90th |
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 San Luis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Torreon 11 mi · Cañon 16 mi · San Ysidro 18 mi · Jemez Pueblo 19 mi · Jemez Springs 20 mi · Zia Pueblo 22 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 Luis (35.7009, -107.0431); 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.