community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Moapa Valley, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 30% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (below the 1st). Expect a dearth in late Jun.
When is the honey flow in Moapa Valley?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Jun 30
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Moapa 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 Feb 27.
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): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, rabbitbrush; 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
- Alfalfa: about 101 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 3 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 Moapa Valley
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Barren; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; open water 1.3 mi SW.
How Moapa Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 6th | 27th | 5th | 16th |
| Nevada | 30th | 86th | 11th | below the 1st |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 82nd | 81st | 81st | 14th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Moapa Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Moapa Town 12 mi · Bunkerville 21 mi · Mesquite 23 mi · North Las Vegas 42 mi · Nellis AFB 42 mi · Sunrise Manor 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 Moapa Valley (36.604, -114.4493); 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.