community in California
Honey bee forage in Trabuco Canyon, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (56th percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: citrus (nearest 3.3 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Trabuco Canyon?
- First forage: Jan 1 (spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 31, peaking late Feb (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Jun 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Trabuco Canyon, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms late Feb – 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 Trabuco Canyon
Mostly: Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Southern California Coastal Scrub; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.38 mi E.
How Trabuco Canyon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 83rd | 7th | 25th |
| California | 73rd | 56th | 27th | 51st |
| Southern California/Northern Baja Coast | 52nd | 41st | 20th | 43rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Trabuco Canyon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Modjeska 3 mi · Rancho Santa Margarita 3 mi · Williams Canyon 4 mi · Lake Forest 5 mi · Silverado 5 mi · Coto de Caza 6 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 Trabuco Canyon (33.6782, -117.594); 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.