community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Topaz Ranch Estates, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% 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 0.5 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Topaz Ranch Estates?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Topaz Ranch Estates, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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 312 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Topaz Ranch Estates
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.8 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Topaz Ranch Estates ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 80th | 71st | 82nd |
| Nevada | 100th | 100th | 98th | 76th |
| Central Basin and Range | 99th | 100th | 94th | 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 Topaz Ranch Estates: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Topaz Lake 3 mi · Double Spring 7 mi · Smith Valley 8 mi · Carter Springs 12 mi · Ruhenstroth 15 mi · Fish Springs 17 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 Ranch Estates (38.7357, -119.5008); 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.