community in California
Honey bee forage in Lakehead, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (64th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). 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 Lakehead?
- First forage: Feb 1 (kinnikinnick, maples, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (kinnikinnick, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lakehead, 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 Mar 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): snowberry, kinnikinnick, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, kinnikinnick, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 Lakehead
Mostly: Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland; Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi NE.
How Lakehead ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 91st | 21st | 18th |
| California | 58th | 64th | 45th | 39th |
| Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range | 52nd | 62nd | 7th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Lakehead: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mountain Gate 13 mi · Shasta Lake 16 mi · Jones Valley 16 mi · Trinity Center 17 mi · French Gulch 18 mi · Bella Vista 19 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 Lakehead (40.9034, -122.3997); 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.