community in California
Honey bee forage in Bluewater, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (50th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Expect a dearth in late Jun.
When is the honey flow in Bluewater?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Dearth: Jun 16 to Jun 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bluewater, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), rabbitbrush, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Alfalfa: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi SW, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 5 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 Bluewater
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Bluewater ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 11th | 30th | 4th | 25th |
| California | 24th | 29th | 20th | 50th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 78th | 73rd | 78th | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Bluewater: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Big River 6 mi · Blythe 41 mi · Mesa Verde 48 mi · Needles 49 mi · Ripley 50 mi · Palo Verde 58 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 Bluewater (34.1754, -114.265); 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.