community in California
Honey bee forage in Pioneer, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (66th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Pioneer?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, kinnikinnick, maples)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (snowberry, kinnikinnick, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pioneer, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): snowberry, kinnikinnick, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, kinnikinnick, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Pioneer
Mostly: Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi NE.
How Pioneer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 93rd | 19th | 8th |
| California | 64th | 66th | 44th | 23rd |
| Sierra Nevada | 87th | 87th | 16th | 19th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Pioneer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Red Corral 2 mi · Volcano 2 mi · West Point 3 mi · Buckhorn 3 mi · Lockwood 4 mi · Pine Grove 4 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 Pioneer (38.4338, -120.5861); 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.