city in California
Honey bee forage in Desert Hot Springs, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (54th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Desert Hot Springs?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Desert Hot Springs, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, rabbitbrush; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Desert Hot Springs
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 1.52 mi N.
How Desert Hot Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 14th | 37th | 8th | 27th |
| California | 27th | 32nd | 28th | 54th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 81st | 77th | 87th | 43rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Desert Hot Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garnet 5 mi · Desert Edge 6 mi · Morongo Valley 8 mi · Whitewater 8 mi · Cathedral City 10 mi · Palm Springs 11 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 Desert Hot Springs (33.9576, -116.5423); 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.