city in California
Honey bee forage in Live Oak, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (50th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.7 mi E); peaches (nearest 0.5 mi NE); prunes (nearest 0.4 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Live Oak?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, peaches, prunes)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 15, peaking late Feb (dandelion, peaches, almonds)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Live Oak, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, almonds, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, almonds; extra 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
- Almonds: about 129 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms early Feb – late Mar
- Peaches: about 277 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Feb – late Feb
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 Live Oak
Mostly: Walnuts; Prunes; Almonds.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.45 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025); Prunes: insecticides used on about 54% of surveyed US acres (2025); Plums: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025). 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 Live Oak ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 75th | 15th | 14th |
| California | 67th | 50th | 38th | 31st |
| Central California Valley | 22nd | 17th | 33rd | 68th |
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 Live Oak: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gridley 6 mi · Honcut 8 mi · Biggs 10 mi · Sutter 10 mi · Marysville 10 mi · Yuba City 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 Live Oak (39.2788, -121.6624); 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.