community in California
Honey bee forage in Heber, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (56th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cantaloupes (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Heber?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Heber, 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 Feb 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cantaloupes; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; white, 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 570 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Apr – late May (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 Heber
Mostly: Alfalfa; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi W.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cantaloupes: insecticides used on about 87% of surveyed US acres (2024). 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 Heber ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 83rd | 10th | 14th |
| California | 59th | 56th | 32nd | 32nd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 93rd | 94th | 88th | 19th |
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 Heber: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Calexico 4 mi · El Centro 4 mi · Imperial 8 mi · Seeley 10 mi · El Centro Naval Air Facility 10 mi · Holtville 10 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 Heber (32.7325, -115.5294); 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.