community in California
Honey bee forage in Vandenberg AFB, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 1.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 2.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); strawberries (nearest 3.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Vandenberg AFB?
- First forage: Jan 1 (spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Vandenberg AFB, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Dry beans: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi N, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 1 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 Vandenberg AFB
Mostly: Southern California Coastal Scrub; Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Coastal Live Oak Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi W.
How Vandenberg AFB ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 89th | 13th | 48th |
| California | 72nd | 61st | 36th | 83rd |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 27th | 11th | 12th | 70th |
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 Vandenberg AFB: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Vandenberg Village 3 mi · Mission Hills 5 mi · Lompoc 5 mi · Casmalia 8 mi · Orcutt 11 mi · Los Alamos 13 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 Vandenberg AFB (34.728, -120.5065); 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.