city in California
Honey bee forage in Dorris, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dorris?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dorris, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 1,652 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Dorris
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Alfalfa; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.52 mi N.
How Dorris ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 54th | 81st | 80th |
| California | 70th | 39th | 99th | 98th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 81st | 79th | 82nd | 89th |
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 Dorris: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Macdoel 11 mi · Mount Hebron 13 mi · Tulelake 23 mi · Tennant 27 mi · Newell 29 mi · Hornbrook 33 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 Dorris (41.965, -121.9204); 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.