community in California
Honey bee forage in Floriston, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (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 Floriston?
- First forage: Apr 16 (kinnikinnick, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (spring-flowering shrubs, snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Floriston, 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 Jun 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, kinnikinnick, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), ceanothus: redstem; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 Floriston
Mostly: California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi W.
How Floriston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 31st | 75th | 51st |
| California | 45th | 30th | 98th | 84th |
| Sierra Nevada | 60th | 36th | 96th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Floriston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Verdi 9 mi · Truckee 10 mi · Kings Beach 10 mi · Tahoe Vista 10 mi · Carnelian Bay 11 mi · Cedar Flat 14 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 Floriston (39.3929, -120.0151); 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.