community in California
Honey bee forage in Riverdale, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.1 mi N); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Riverdale?
- First forage: Feb 1 (almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Riverdale, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, almonds, cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 455 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Feb – late Mar
- Alfalfa: about 260 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 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 Riverdale
Mostly: Almonds; Pistachios; Grapes.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; open water 0.54 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% 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 Riverdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 98th | 41st | 4th |
| California | 92nd | 88th | 68th | 16th |
| Central California Valley | 65th | 61st | 75th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Riverdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lanare 4 mi · Caruthers 8 mi · Hardwick 8 mi · Laton 9 mi · Lemoore 10 mi · Grangeville 11 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 Riverdale (36.4304, -119.8672); 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.