community in California
Honey bee forage in Santa Nella, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in fall (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.3 mi N); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi NE); cherries (nearest 1.5 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Santa Nella?
- First forage: Jan 16 (almonds, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Apr 16 to Apr 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Santa Nella, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, alfalfa, 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), garden flowers, canada thistle; 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, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 308 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Feb – early Mar
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 Santa Nella
Mostly: California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; Almonds; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi N.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 84% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% 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 Santa Nella ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 97th | 37th | 31st |
| California | 88th | 81st | 64th | 62nd |
| Central California Valley | 55th | 51st | 70th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Santa Nella: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Volta 6 mi · Los Banos 10 mi · Gustine 11 mi · Newman 15 mi · Stevinson 18 mi · Crows Landing 21 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 Santa Nella (37.1012, -121.0157); 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.