city in California
Honey bee forage in Bishop, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer and fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (77th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bishop?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bishop, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, maples; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; 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 84 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Bishop
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi E.
How Bishop ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 97th | 64th | 57th |
| California | 79th | 77th | 90th | 90th |
| Central Basin and Range | 100th | 100th | 92nd | 25th |
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 Bishop: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek 2 mi · West Bishop 4 mi · Wilkerson 6 mi · Mesa 9 mi · Chalfant 9 mi · Round Valley 10 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 Bishop (37.3664, -118.3958); 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.