community in California
Honey bee forage in Camp Pendleton Mainside, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 3.3 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Camp Pendleton Mainside?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), willows)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Camp Pendleton Mainside, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canada thistle; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Citrus: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi E, blooms early Mar – 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 Camp Pendleton Mainside
Mostly: Southern California Coastal Scrub; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; California Ruderal Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi E.
How Camp Pendleton Mainside ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 91st | 21st | 32nd |
| California | 78th | 64th | 44th | 67th |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 71st | 61st | 60th | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Camp Pendleton Mainside: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oceanside 6 mi · Camp Pendleton South 6 mi · Fallbrook 8 mi · Bonsall 8 mi · Vista 10 mi · Carlsbad 13 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 Camp Pendleton Mainside (33.3072, -117.331); 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.