community in California
Honey bee forage in Seeley, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (57th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here); peaches (nearest 0.8 mi E); citrus (nearest 2.0 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Seeley?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Seeley, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cantaloupes; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 315 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 5 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 Seeley
Mostly: Other Hay/Non Alfalfa; Alfalfa; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi W.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 39% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Peaches: insecticides used on about 86% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% 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 Seeley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 84th | 7th | 10th |
| California | 52nd | 57th | 28th | 27th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 91st | 94th | 86th | 15th |
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 Seeley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
El Centro Naval Air Facility 3 mi · El Centro 7 mi · Imperial 7 mi · Heber 10 mi · Calexico 13 mi · Brawley 16 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 Seeley (32.7905, -115.685); 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.