city in California
Honey bee forage in Malibu, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (53rd percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.7 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Malibu?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Mar 31, peaking late Feb (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Malibu, 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 Feb 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers, spring-flowering shrubs; 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
- Grapes: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NW, blooms early Mar – early Apr
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 Malibu
Mostly: Open water; Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Southern California Coastal Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi S; open water 0.04 mi S.
How Malibu ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 73rd | 14th | 26th |
| California | 75th | 49th | 36th | 53rd |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 59th | 22nd | 42nd | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Malibu: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pepperdine University 3 mi · Westlake Village 8 mi · Agoura Hills 9 mi · Calabasas 9 mi · Topanga 10 mi · Lake Sherwood 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 Malibu (34.0259, -118.7596); 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.