community in California
Honey bee forage in Proberta, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.3 mi SW); prunes (nearest 0.7 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Proberta?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Mar 31, peaking early Mar (almonds, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Proberta, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, spring-flowering shrubs, 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), 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), almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-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
- Almonds: about 354 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Feb – late Mar
- Prunes: about 159 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi S, blooms early Feb – late Feb
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 Proberta
Mostly: Walnuts; Almonds; Western Warm Temperate Orchard.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Prunes: insecticides used on about 54% 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 Proberta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 95th | 16th | 17th |
| California | 77th | 71st | 38th | 37th |
| Central California Valley | 35th | 40th | 33rd | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Proberta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Las Flores 1 mi · Gerber 2 mi · Tehama 5 mi · Los Molinos 5 mi · Richfield 7 mi · Red Bluff 8 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 Proberta (40.0762, -122.1776); 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.