community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Hawthorne, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hawthorne?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hawthorne, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 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 Hawthorne
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat; Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.73 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 1.13 mi E.
How Hawthorne ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 32nd | 65th | 34th | 48th |
| Nevada | 93rd | 99th | 67th | 24th |
| Central Basin and Range | 87th | 98th | 60th | 15th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Hawthorne: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Walker Lake 11 mi · Mina 29 mi · Schurz 33 mi · Yerington 40 mi · Smith Valley 44 mi · Gabbs 44 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 Hawthorne (38.5253, -118.626); 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.