community in California
Honey bee forage in Pearsonville, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (57th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Expect a dearth from early Jun to late Jun.
When is the honey flow in Pearsonville?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: Jun 1 to Jun 30
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pearsonville, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi S, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Pearsonville
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Sierra Nevada Cliff and Canyon.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi S; pond, lake or river 1.13 mi N.
How Pearsonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 5th | 27th | 4th | 28th |
| California | 19th | 28th | 20th | 57th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 80th | 81st | 76th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% 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 Pearsonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Inyokern 12 mi · China Lake Acres 14 mi · Ridgecrest 18 mi · Ridgecrest Heights 18 mi · Kennedy Meadows 18 mi · Onyx 22 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 Pearsonville (35.8229, -117.8782); 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.