community in California
Honey bee forage in California Pines, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in California Pines?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of California Pines, 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 May 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, weedy mustards; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; 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 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms late May – late Sep (grown 1 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 California Pines
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi NE.
How California Pines ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 41st | 58th | 88th |
| California | 40th | 34th | 83rd | 99th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 50th | 65th | 35th | 95th |
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 California Pines: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Alturas 8 mi · Daphnedale Park 9 mi · Canby 12 mi · Likely 15 mi · Adin 21 mi · Cedarville 27 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 California Pines (41.4138, -120.6653); 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.