community in California
Honey bee forage in Three Rocks, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (54th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.3 mi SE); grapes (nearest 1.9 mi SE); alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Three Rocks?
- First forage: Feb 1 (almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds)
- Season ends: Jun 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Three Rocks, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, citrus; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, citrus; 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
- Almonds: about 4,575 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Feb – late Mar
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 Three Rocks
Mostly: Pistachios; Almonds; Grapes.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.13 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.68 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 41% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% 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 Three Rocks ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 80th | 6th | 1st |
| California | 72nd | 54th | 25th | 6th |
| Central California Valley | 27th | 22nd | 13th | 26th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Three Rocks: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cantua Creek 4 mi · Tranquillity 13 mi · San Joaquin 13 mi · Westside 16 mi · Mendota 17 mi · Kerman 24 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 Three Rocks (36.5051, -120.3935); 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.