community in California
Honey bee forage in Castaic, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (61st percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 3.5 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Castaic?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Castaic, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Citrus: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi S, 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 Castaic
Mostly: Southern California Coastal Scrub; Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.87 mi SW.
How Castaic ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 88th | 14th | 17th |
| California | 74th | 61st | 37th | 37th |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 57th | 56th | 43rd | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Castaic: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hasley Canyon 2 mi · Val Verde 3 mi · Stevenson Ranch 7 mi · Santa Clarita 9 mi · Piru 11 mi · Santa Susana 15 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 Castaic (34.4774, -118.6327); 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.