city in California
Honey bee forage in Calexico, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (60th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi N); cantaloupes (nearest 1.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Calexico?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Calexico, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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, alfalfa, garden flowers, dandelion; 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 571 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, 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 Calexico
Mostly: Unmapped; Alfalfa; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cantaloupes: insecticides used on about 87% of surveyed US acres (2024); Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Calexico ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 71st | 19th | 30th |
| California | 60th | 47th | 44th | 60th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 93rd | 91st | 92nd | 61st |
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 Calexico: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Heber 4 mi · El Centro 8 mi · Holtville 11 mi · Imperial 12 mi · Seeley 13 mi · El Centro Naval Air Facility 14 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 Calexico (32.6849, -115.4947); 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.