city in California
Honey bee forage in Barstow, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.9 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Barstow?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Barstow, 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 Mar 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, rabbitbrush; 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
- Alfalfa: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late 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 Barstow
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; pond, lake or river 2.49 mi SE.
How Barstow ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 20th | 51st | 15th | 35th |
| California | 31st | 38th | 37th | 69th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 94th | 92nd | 94th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 Barstow: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lenwood 4 mi · Yermo 13 mi · Silver Lakes 19 mi · Apple Valley 25 mi · Spring Valley Lake 29 mi · Victorville 29 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 Barstow (34.867, -117.043); 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.