community in California
Honey bee forage in Sierraville, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sierraville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sierraville, 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 May 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; 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
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 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 Sierraville
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE.
How Sierraville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 81st | 83rd | 89th |
| California | 81st | 54th | 99th | 100th |
| Central Basin and Range | 100th | 100th | 98th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Sierraville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sattley 5 mi · Calpine 7 mi · Sierra Brooks 9 mi · Loyalton 9 mi · Whitehawk 14 mi · Sierra City 14 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 Sierraville (39.5822, -120.3621); 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.