community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Sandia Knolls, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.32 mi N.
When is the honey flow in Sandia Knolls?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sandia Knolls, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, 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 Sandia Knolls
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.75 mi SW.
How Sandia Knolls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 28th | 55th | 42nd | 61st |
| New Mexico | 78th | 82nd | 84th | 47th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 92nd | 82nd | 92nd | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 Sandia Knolls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
San Antonito 3 mi · Paa-Ko 3 mi · Sandia Park 4 mi · Edgewood 5 mi · Sedillo 5 mi · La Madera 5 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 Sandia Knolls (35.1604, -106.2988); 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.