community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in McGill, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McGill?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McGill, 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 May 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, rabbitbrush; 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 143 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 McGill
Mostly: Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.3 mi NW.
How McGill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 20th | 36th | 43rd | 66th |
| Nevada | 83rd | 92nd | 80th | 42nd |
| Central Basin and Range | 75th | 87th | 73rd | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 McGill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ely 11 mi · Ruth 14 mi · Preston 37 mi · Lund 39 mi · Baker 44 mi · Eureka 64 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 McGill (39.402, -114.7775); 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.