community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Tecolotito, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tecolotito?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tecolotito, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, native wildflowers; 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 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Tecolotito
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Southern Rocky Mountain Juniper Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi SW.
How Tecolotito ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 24th | 56th | 33rd | 64th |
| New Mexico | 69th | 84th | 69th | 52nd |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 19th | 61st | 35th | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Tecolotito: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Anton Chico 3 mi · Llano del Medio 4 mi · Villanueva 11 mi · Sena 14 mi · Pueblo 17 mi · Tecolote 17 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 Tecolotito (35.2307, -105.163); 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.