community in California
Honey bee forage in Ben Lomond, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (55th percentile) and lowest in fall (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.3 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Ben Lomond?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ben Lomond, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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
- Grapes: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi W, blooms early Apr – 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 Ben Lomond
Mostly: California Coastal Redwood Forest; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; Western Warm Temperate Urban Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ben Lomond ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 82nd | 19th | 18th |
| California | 65th | 55th | 44th | 40th |
| Coast Range | 22nd | 18th | 19th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Ben Lomond: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Brookdale 2 mi · Mount Hermon 3 mi · Zayante 3 mi · Felton 3 mi · Lompico 3 mi · Bonny Doon 4 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 Ben Lomond (37.0782, -122.0881); 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.