community in California
Honey bee forage in Mesa, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in spring (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mesa?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mesa, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, rabbitbrush; 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – early Jul (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 Mesa
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.31 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi N.
How Mesa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 23rd | 57th | 30th | 45th |
| California | 34th | 40th | 55th | 80th |
| Central Basin and Range | 81st | 97th | 55th | 12th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Mesa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Round Valley 2 mi · West Bishop 5 mi · Paradise 6 mi · Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek 7 mi · Swall Meadows 8 mi · Bishop 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 Mesa (37.4168, -118.5391); 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.