community in California
Honey bee forage in Alpine, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: apples (nearest 3.4 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Alpine?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alpine, 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 Feb 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Apples: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi E, blooms early Feb – early Mar
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 Alpine
Mostly: Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Southern California Coastal Scrub; California Coastal Live Oak Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi S.
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 Alpine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 92nd | 21st | 25th |
| California | 77th | 65th | 45th | 50th |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 65th | 65th | 63rd | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Alpine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harbison Canyon 5 mi · Crest 7 mi · Descanso 8 mi · Lakeside 9 mi · Granite Hills 9 mi · Winter Gardens 10 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
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 Alpine (32.8425, -116.7559); 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.