city in California
Honey bee forage in Firebaugh, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.3 mi NE); cotton (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Firebaugh?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Firebaugh, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, almonds, cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): cotton, alfalfa, almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Almonds: about 7,116 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Feb – late Mar
- Cotton: about 1,208 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early 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 Firebaugh
Mostly: Almonds; Pistachios; Tomatoes.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Firebaugh ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 88th | 48th | 9th |
| California | 80th | 61st | 75th | 25th |
| Central California Valley | 40th | 30th | 82nd | 62nd |
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 Firebaugh: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mendota 8 mi · South Dos Palos 13 mi · Dos Palos 13 mi · Dos Palos Y 17 mi · Tranquillity 18 mi · La Vina 19 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 Firebaugh (36.8537, -120.4537); 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.