community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Dry Valley, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dry Valley?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Aug (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dry Valley, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, rubber rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters, spotted and diffuse knapweed; dark amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 409 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Jul – late 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 Dry Valley
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi NW.
How Dry Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 36th | 39th | 60th | 78th |
| Nevada | 94th | 94th | 95th | 66th |
| Central Basin and Range | 88th | 90th | 89th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Dry Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ursine 8 mi · Panaca 8 mi · Pioche 9 mi · Bennett Springs 15 mi · Beaverdam 16 mi · Caliente 19 mi
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 Dry Valley (37.8843, -114.305); 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.