community in California
Honey bee forage in Valley Springs, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (75th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.6 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Valley Springs?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Valley Springs, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Grapes: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi W, blooms early Apr – early May
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 Valley Springs
Mostly: California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; California Lower Montane Foothill Pine Woodland and Savanna; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SW.
How Valley Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 98th | 48th | 43rd |
| California | 87th | 87th | 75th | 78th |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 66th | 61st | 69th | 58th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Valley Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Campo Seco 3 mi · Rancho Calaveras 4 mi · Paloma 6 mi · Wallace 8 mi · Camanche North Shore 8 mi · San Andreas 8 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 Valley Springs (38.1894, -120.8253); 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.