community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in White Sands, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Nearest mapped water: open water, 0.17 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in White Sands?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of White Sands, 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 10.
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 trees (locust, linden); 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, rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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
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 White Sands
Mostly: Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.17 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.38 mi NW.
How White Sands ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 20th | 57th | 12th | 36th |
| New Mexico | 60th | 86th | 23rd | 18th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 73rd | 76th | 72nd | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 White Sands: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Organ 8 mi · Butterfield Park 10 mi · University Park 17 mi · Tortugas 18 mi · Las Cruces 19 mi · San Pablo 19 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 White Sands (32.3804, -106.4791); 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.