community in California
Honey bee forage in Janesville, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer and fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Janesville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Janesville, 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 2.
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): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, alfalfa; 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
- Alfalfa: about 591 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 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 Janesville
Mostly: Great Basin & Intermountain Ruderal Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S.
How Janesville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 67th | 79th | 82nd |
| California | 73rd | 45th | 99th | 99th |
| Central Basin and Range | 99th | 98th | 97th | 73rd |
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 Janesville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Johnstonville 7 mi · Litchfield 8 mi · Susanville 12 mi · Milford 12 mi · Patton Village 20 mi · Herlong 22 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 Janesville (40.3011, -120.4903); 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.