community in California
Honey bee forage in Shoshone, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (52nd percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Expect a dearth from early May to late Oct.
When is the honey flow in Shoshone?
- First forage: Jan 16 (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: Feb 1 to Feb 15
- Dearth: May 1 to Oct 31
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31 (rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shoshone, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; dark amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, spring-flowering shrubs; amber
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 Shoshone
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Barren; North American Warm Desert Pavement.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NE; open water 1.11 mi NW.
How Shoshone ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 1st | 10th | 1st | 26th |
| California | 11th | 14th | 12th | 52nd |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 38th | 29th | 35th | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% 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 Shoshone: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tecopa 12 mi · Charleston View 23 mi · Furnace Creek 45 mi · Baker 50 mi · Fort Irwin 54 mi · Valley Wells 58 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 Shoshone (35.9672, -116.3088); 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.