community in California
Honey bee forage in Shelter Cove, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Shelter Cove?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, maples, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelter Cove, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, huckleberries, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, huckleberries; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Shelter Cove
Mostly: Open water; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; California Coastal Redwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.43 mi N.
How Shelter Cove ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 95th | 23rd | 6th |
| California | 68th | 73rd | 46th | 21st |
| Coast Range | 23rd | 29th | 21st | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Shelter Cove: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Redway 14 mi · Garberville 14 mi · Benbow 15 mi · Miranda 18 mi · Myers Flat 18 mi · Phillipsville 19 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 Shelter Cove (40.039, -124.0558); 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.