community in California
Honey bee forage in Pajaro Dunes, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in California. Against other California sites it ranks highest in spring (45th percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: strawberries (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); citrus (nearest 0.7 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Pajaro Dunes?
- First forage: Jan 1 (strawberries, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (strawberries, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 1 to May 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pajaro Dunes, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): strawberries, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): strawberries, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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
- Strawberries: about 168 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late Jan – early Apr (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 Pajaro Dunes
Mostly: Open water; Misc Vegs & Fruits; Strawberries.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi E; open water 0.17 mi E.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Strawberries: insecticides used on about 96% of surveyed US acres (2025); 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). 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 Pajaro Dunes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 67th | 9th | 9th |
| California | 49th | 45th | 31st | 25th |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 3rd | 2nd | 6th | 8th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Pajaro Dunes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Las Lomas 4 mi · Pajaro 4 mi · Watsonville 4 mi · Moss Landing 4 mi · La Selva Beach 5 mi · Freedom 5 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 Pajaro Dunes (36.8682, -121.8057); 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.