community in California
Honey bee forage in Alta Sierra, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (55th). 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 Alta Sierra?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alta Sierra, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry; 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
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 Alta Sierra
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi NW.
How Alta Sierra ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 82nd | 62nd | 31st |
| California | 63rd | 55th | 88th | 62nd |
| Sierra Nevada | 86th | 73rd | 75th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Alta Sierra: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wofford Heights 4 mi · Kernville 7 mi · Lake Isabella 7 mi · Panorama Heights 7 mi · Poso Park 8 mi · Sugarloaf Saw Mill 8 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 Alta Sierra (35.7258, -118.5452); 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.