community in California
Honey bee forage in Loleta, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.8 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Loleta?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Loleta, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Loleta
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; California Coastal Redwood Forest; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE.
How Loleta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 97th | 42nd | 26th |
| California | 81st | 82nd | 69th | 53rd |
| Coast Range | 32nd | 33rd | 33rd | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Loleta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ferndale 5 mi · Fortuna 6 mi · Fields Landing 6 mi · Humboldt Hill 6 mi · Pine Hills 7 mi · Bayview 9 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 Loleta (40.6409, -124.2226); 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.