community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in South River, 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 summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in South River?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South River, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, rubber rabbitbrush, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 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 South River
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SW.
How South River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 59th | 56th | 73rd |
| New Mexico | 96th | 88th | 95th | 67th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 96th | 97th | 96th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 South River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Flora Vista 2 mi · Spencerville 3 mi · Crouch Mesa 3 mi · Aztec 5 mi · Bloomfield 5 mi · Lee Acres 6 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 South River (36.7859, -108.0577); 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.