city in California
Honey bee forage in Los Banos, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in California. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other California sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 1.0 mi NE); cotton (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Los Banos?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 31, peaking early Mar (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, almonds)
- Fall flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Los Banos, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, cotton; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra 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
- Almonds: about 662 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SW, blooms early Feb – late Mar
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 Los Banos
Mostly: Almonds; Developed, medium intensity; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.99 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 95% 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. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% 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 Los Banos ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 91st | 42nd | 32nd |
| California | 79th | 64th | 69th | 63rd |
| Central California Valley | 38th | 34th | 76th | 82nd |
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 Los Banos: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Volta 4 mi · Santa Nella 10 mi · Dos Palos Y 11 mi · South Dos Palos 12 mi · Dos Palos 13 mi · Gustine 16 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 Los Banos (37.0632, -120.8403); 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.