city in California
Honey bee forage in Etna, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Etna?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Etna, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, snowberry; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; 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 5,341 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Etna
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W; open water 0.17 mi W.
How Etna ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 88th | 78th | 53rd |
| California | 77th | 61st | 99th | 86th |
| Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range | 94th | 53rd | 99th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Etna: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Greenview 6 mi · Fort Jones 11 mi · Gazelle 20 mi · Grenada 23 mi · Yreka 23 mi · Edgewood 24 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 Etna (41.4582, -122.8958); 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.