community in California
Honey bee forage in Madeline, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Madeline?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Madeline, 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 May 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa; 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Madeline
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SE.
How Madeline ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 49th | 74th | 91st |
| California | 60th | 37th | 98th | 100th |
| Northern Basin and Range | 98th | 98th | 96th | 84th |
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 Madeline: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Likely 12 mi · Eagleville 26 mi · California Pines 27 mi · Adin 27 mi · Stones Landing 28 mi · Alturas 30 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 Madeline (41.0514, -120.4754); 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.