community in California
Honey bee forage in Lake Almanor West, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (39th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, 0.6 mi NE.
When is the honey flow in Lake Almanor West?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Almanor West, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 Lake Almanor West
Mostly: Open water; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.6 mi NE; open water 0.6 mi NE.
How Lake Almanor West ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 56th | 63rd | 55th |
| California | 46th | 39th | 90th | 88th |
| Cascades | 27th | 39th | 25th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Lake Almanor West: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Almanor 2 mi · Prattville 3 mi · Lake Almanor Country Club 3 mi · Lake Almanor Peninsula 5 mi · Chester 5 mi · Hamilton Branch 6 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 Lake Almanor West (40.2336, -121.2021); 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.