community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Sandy Valley, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 22% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Expect a dearth from early Jun to early Aug.
When is the honey flow in Sandy Valley?
- First forage: Jan 16 (native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Dearth: Jun 1 to Aug 15
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15 (rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sandy 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 Mar 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Sandy Valley
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; open water 2.25 mi SE.
How Sandy Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 4th | 24th | 3rd | 30th |
| Nevada | 22nd | 82nd | 10th | 6th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 76th | 77th | 74th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% 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 Sandy Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Goodsprings 11 mi · Blue Diamond 18 mi · Enterprise 25 mi · Summerlin South 26 mi · Spring Valley 27 mi · Mount Charleston 29 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 Sandy Valley (35.8421, -115.6305); 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.