community in California
Honey bee forage in Lake Shastina, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Shastina?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Shastina, 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 Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, 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
- Alfalfa: about 314 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms early 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 Lake Shastina
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.04 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.43 mi W.
How Lake Shastina ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 76th | 57th | 47th |
| California | 55th | 50th | 82nd | 81st |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 65th | 93rd | 34th | 19th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Shastina: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edgewood 5 mi · Carrick 5 mi · Gazelle 8 mi · Weed 8 mi · Grenada 11 mi · Mount Shasta 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 Lake Shastina (41.5231, -122.3764); 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.