city in California

Honey bee forage in Chino Hills, California

Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 0.6 mi NW); grapes (nearest 3.0 mi E); alfalfa (nearest 3.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Chino Hills?

  • First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Season ends: Dec 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chino Hills, 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 13.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, citrus; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spring-flowering shrubs, 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, 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 Chino Hills

Mostly: Southern California Coastal Scrub; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; California Central Valley and Southern Coastal Grassland.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E.

Things to watch

  • Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). 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 Chino Hills ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US90th97th26th56th
California85th77th50th89th
Southern California/Northern Baja Coast90th83rd75th100th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 82% 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 Chino Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Chino 4 mi · Yorba Linda 5 mi · Anaheim 6 mi · Diamond Bar 7 mi · Coronita 8 mi · Brea 8 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 Chino Hills (33.943, -117.7256); 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.