city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Socorro, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Socorro?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Socorro, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NE, blooms late 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 Socorro
Mostly: Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.14 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Socorro ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 84th | 42nd | 45th |
| New Mexico | 99th | 99th | 83rd | 28th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 99th | 97th | 99th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Socorro: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Escondida 3 mi · Luis Lopez 5 mi · Lemitar 7 mi · San Antonio 10 mi · Polvadera 10 mi · Chamizal 11 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 Socorro (34.0545, -106.9062); 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.