city in California
Honey bee forage in Avenal, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 3.0 mi NE); citrus (nearest 3.6 mi N); safflower (nearest 2.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Avenal?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Avenal, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Almonds: about 397 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi NE, blooms early Feb – early Mar
- Citrus: about 297 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi N, blooms late Mar – early May
- Safflower: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi SW, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 2 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 Avenal
Mostly: California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; California Ruderal Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.49 mi SW.
How Avenal ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 97th | 33rd | 30th |
| California | 82nd | 82nd | 59th | 60th |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 53rd | 48th | 45th | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Avenal: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kettleman City 9 mi · Huron 12 mi · Coalinga 14 mi · Stratford 20 mi · Lemoore Station 20 mi · Lemoore 25 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 Avenal (36.0311, -120.1162); 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.