community in California
Honey bee forage in Edwards AFB, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (52nd percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). 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 Edwards AFB?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Edwards AFB, 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 Mar 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light 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, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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
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 Edwards AFB
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.97 mi W.
How Edwards AFB ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 47th | 9th | 26th |
| California | 26th | 36th | 30th | 52nd |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 91st | 91st | 90th | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Edwards AFB: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Edwards 12 mi · Boron 17 mi · Rosamond 17 mi · Mojave 17 mi · California City 17 mi · Lancaster 20 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 Edwards AFB (34.9024, -117.9219); 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.