community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Preston, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in summer (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (77th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Preston?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Preston, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, weedy mustards, alfalfa; extra 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; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, green/yellow rabbitbrush; 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 1,390 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Preston
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi E.
How Preston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 43rd | 68th | 82nd |
| Nevada | 97th | 95th | 98th | 77th |
| Central Basin and Range | 92nd | 92nd | 94th | 75th |
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 Preston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lund 5 mi · Ruth 25 mi · Ely 26 mi · McGill 37 mi · Baker 51 mi · Mount Wilson 57 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 Preston (38.9149, -115.0637); 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.