city in California
Honey bee forage in Sierra Madre, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 0.8 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Sierra Madre?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sierra Madre, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, citrus, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, citrus; extra 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
- Citrus: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Mar – 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 Sierra Madre
Mostly: Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.14 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. 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 Sierra Madre ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 93rd | 29th | 45th |
| California | 86th | 66th | 54th | 80th |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 91st | 67th | 86th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Sierra Madre: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Arcadia 3 mi · East Pasadena 3 mi · San Pasqual 4 mi · Monrovia 4 mi · East San Gabriel 4 mi · Mayflower Village 4 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 Sierra Madre (34.1688, -118.0502); 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.