community in California
Honey bee forage in Salmon Creek, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.3 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Salmon Creek?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: May 16 to May 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Salmon Creek, 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 Feb 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spring-flowering shrubs, 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
- Grapes: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi SE, blooms early Apr – late Apr
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 Salmon Creek
Mostly: Open water; California Northern Coastal Grassland; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi SW.
How Salmon Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 87th | 23rd | 56th |
| California | 71st | 60th | 46th | 89th |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 25th | 9th | 26th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Salmon Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bodega Bay 2 mi · Carmet 2 mi · Sereno del Mar 3 mi · Bodega 5 mi · Occidental 8 mi · Valley Ford 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 Salmon Creek (38.3462, -123.0593); 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.