community in California
Honey bee forage in Downieville, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 41% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (61st percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.1 mi W.
When is the honey flow in Downieville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (kinnikinnick, maples, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (kinnikinnick, snowberry, ceanothus: redstem)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Downieville, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): kinnikinnick, snowberry, ceanothus: redstem, oregon grape; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, kinnikinnick, ceanothus: redstem, oregon grape; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 Downieville
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi W.
How Downieville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 75th | 36th | 1st |
| California | 41st | 50th | 61st | 6th |
| Sierra Nevada | 51st | 67th | 34th | 3rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 97% 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 Downieville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Goodyears Bar 4 mi · Alleghany 8 mi · Sierra City 10 mi · Graniteville 10 mi · La Porte 11 mi · Little Grass Valley 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 Downieville (39.5786, -120.8164); 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.