community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Sun Valley, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (76th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.0 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sun Valley?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sun 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 May 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, maples; 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Sun Valley
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual Grassland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; pond, lake or river 2.35 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sun Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 82nd | 65th | 82nd |
| Nevada | 99th | 100th | 97th | 76th |
| Central Basin and Range | 98th | 100th | 92nd | 74th |
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 Sun Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Golden Valley 3 mi · Sparks 4 mi · Reno 6 mi · Lemmon Valley 6 mi · Spanish Springs 7 mi · Mogul 10 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 Sun Valley (39.6103, -119.7771); 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.