community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Zia Pueblo, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (64th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Expect a dearth in late Jul.
When is the honey flow in Zia Pueblo?
- First forage: Feb 16 (weedy mustards, arrowleaf balsamroot, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (native wildflowers, weedy mustards, native wildflowers)
- Dearth: Jul 16 to Jul 31
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Oct 31 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zia Pueblo, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, weedy mustards, native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, rabbitbrush; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, weedy mustards; amber
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 Zia Pueblo
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 1.18 mi SW.
How Zia Pueblo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 9th | 25th | 16th | 71st |
| New Mexico | 26th | 30th | 28th | 64th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 42nd | 55th | 32nd | 58th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Zia Pueblo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
San Ysidro 4 mi · Jemez Pueblo 5 mi · Ponderosa 9 mi · Cañon 10 mi · Rio Rancho Estates 17 mi · Santa Ana Pueblo 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 Zia Pueblo (35.53, -106.717); 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.