community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Topaz Lake, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.8 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); grapes (nearest 3.5 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Topaz Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Topaz Lake, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; dark amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, green/yellow 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 312 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Topaz Lake
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.05 mi SE.
How Topaz Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 21st | 44th | 37th | 66th |
| Nevada | 85th | 96th | 72nd | 43rd |
| Central Basin and Range | 77th | 93rd | 66th | 37th |
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 Topaz Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Topaz Ranch Estates 3 mi · Double Spring 7 mi · Smith Valley 11 mi · Carter Springs 12 mi · Ruhenstroth 15 mi · Gardnerville Ranchos 18 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 Topaz Lake (38.6987, -119.5416); 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.