community in California
Honey bee forage in Alto, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.5 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Alto?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (dandelion, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alto, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Grapes: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi N, blooms late Mar – late Apr
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 Alto
Mostly: Open water; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.62 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Alto ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 94th | 38th | 46th |
| California | 83rd | 69th | 65th | 81st |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 54th | 22nd | 55th | 64th |
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 Alto: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Strawberry 1 mi · Mill Valley 1 mi · Corte Madera 2 mi · Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 2 mi · Marin City 2 mi · Larkspur 2 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 Alto (37.9056, -122.5187); 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.