community in California
Honey bee forage in Ponderosa, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (38th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.15 mi W.
When is the honey flow in Ponderosa?
- First forage: Apr 1 (kinnikinnick, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (kinnikinnick, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), oregon grape)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ponderosa, 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 May 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): kinnikinnick, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), oregon grape, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, kinnikinnick, oregon grape; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): kinnikinnick, snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 Ponderosa
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Subalpine Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi W.
How Ponderosa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 53rd | 67th | 45th |
| California | 46th | 38th | 93rd | 80th |
| Sierra Nevada | 64th | 51st | 83rd | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Ponderosa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cedar Slope 4 mi · Camp Nelson 5 mi · Pierpoint 6 mi · Sequoia Crest 8 mi · Springville 16 mi · California Hot Springs 17 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 Ponderosa (36.1047, -118.5319); 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.