community in Utah
Honey bee forage in Thompson Springs, Utah
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in Utah. Against other Utah sites it stands out most in spring (60th percentile) and lowest in summer (25th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Thompson Springs?
- First forage: Mar 16 (native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31 (rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Thompson Springs, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Thompson Springs
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.83 mi NW.
How Thompson Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 5th | 19th | 12th | 51st |
| Utah | 28th | 60th | 25th | 35th |
| Colorado Plateaus | 45th | 66th | 40th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Thompson Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Green River 25 mi · Castle Valley 28 mi · Moab 28 mi · Spanish Valley 37 mi · La Sal 52 mi · East Carbon 55 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 Thompson Springs (38.9636, -109.7037); 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.