city in California
Honey bee forage in Point Arena, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Point Arena?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Point Arena, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Point Arena
Mostly: Open water; California Coastal Redwood Forest; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi SW.
How Point Arena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 97th | 36th | 27th |
| California | 83rd | 82nd | 62nd | 55th |
| Coast Range | 34th | 33rd | 28th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Point Arena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Manchester 4 mi · Anchor Bay 10 mi · Philo 17 mi · Sea Ranch 18 mi · Boonville 19 mi · Albion 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 Point Arena (38.9123, -123.6956); 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.