community in California
Honey bee forage in Mission Canyon, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mission Canyon?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mission Canyon, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi SW, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 2 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 Mission Canyon
Mostly: Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Central and Southern California Mixed Evergreen Woodland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mission Canyon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 88th | 24th | 43rd |
| California | 81st | 61st | 48th | 78th |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 77th | 56th | 68th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Mission Canyon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Santa Barbara 4 mi · Eastern Goleta Valley 4 mi · Montecito 5 mi · University of California-Santa Barbara 8 mi · Summerland 8 mi · Goleta 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 Mission Canyon (34.4563, -119.717); 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.