city in California
Honey bee forage in Milpitas, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (72nd percentile) and lowest in spring (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: apricots (nearest 1.2 mi E); citrus (nearest 3.1 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Milpitas?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Milpitas, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, garden flowers; 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
- Apricots: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Jan – early Feb
- Citrus: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SW, blooms early Mar – early May
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 Milpitas
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 100% 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. Apricots: insecticides used on about 76% 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 Milpitas ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 69th | 29th | 38th |
| California | 58th | 46th | 53rd | 72nd |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 9th | 2nd | 37th | 46th |
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 Milpitas: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fremont 5 mi · East Foothills 5 mi · Alum Rock 6 mi · Santa Clara 6 mi · Burbank 8 mi · Sunnyvale 8 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 Milpitas (37.4331, -121.8909); 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.