community in California
Honey bee forage in Markleeville, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Markleeville?
- First forage: Apr 16 (spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Markleeville, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry; 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
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Markleeville
Mostly: California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Subalpine Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi SW.
How Markleeville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 34th | 80th | 51st |
| California | 54th | 31st | 99th | 84th |
| Sierra Nevada | 77th | 38th | 99th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 95% 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 Markleeville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Alpine Village 7 mi · Mesa Vista 9 mi · Kirkwood 13 mi · Meyers 15 mi · Topaz 18 mi · Coleville 19 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 Markleeville (38.684, -119.8227); 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.