community in California
Honey bee forage in Tecopa, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 12% of sites in California. Against other California sites it ranks highest in fall (38th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Expect a dearth from early May to late Sep.
When is the honey flow in Tecopa?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Dearth: Jan 16 to Jan 31
- Dearth: May 1 to Sep 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tecopa, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), canada thistle, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); dark amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 Tecopa
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Barren; North American Warm Desert Badland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.52 mi SW.
How Tecopa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 1st | 9th | 1st | 17th |
| California | 12th | 13th | 9th | 38th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 42nd | 24th | 23rd | 15th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Tecopa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shoshone 12 mi · Charleston View 20 mi · Baker 38 mi · Fort Irwin 48 mi · Furnace Creek 56 mi · Valley Wells 63 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 Tecopa (35.8206, -116.2051); 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.