community in California
Honey bee forage in North Shore, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in California. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other California sites. Expect a dearth from early May to late Jun.
When is the honey flow in North Shore?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, citrus)
- Dearth: May 1 to Jun 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North Shore, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, citrus, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, citrus; 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
- Citrus: about 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi W, blooms early Mar – late Apr
- Grapes: about 225 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi W, blooms late 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 North Shore
Mostly: Open water; North American Warm Desert Pavement; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi W.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% 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 North Shore ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 5th | 21st | 2nd | 4th |
| California | 19th | 25th | 17th | 16th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 68th | 65th | 70th | 8th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 North Shore: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mecca 10 mi · Desert Shores 11 mi · Salton Sea Beach 11 mi · Oasis 12 mi · Thermal 15 mi · Salton City 15 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 North Shore (33.5146, -115.911); 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.