community in California
Honey bee forage in Weldon, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); almonds (nearest 1.3 mi N); citrus (nearest 2.4 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Weldon?
- First forage: Feb 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Weldon, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, 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
- Alfalfa: about 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi E, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Almonds: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Mar – early 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 Weldon
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 1.16 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025); 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 Weldon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 98th | 42nd | 24th |
| California | 81st | 87th | 69th | 49th |
| Sierra Nevada | 98th | 99th | 42nd | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Weldon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Onyx 5 mi · Mountain Mesa 5 mi · Squirrel Mountain Valley 6 mi · Lake Isabella 10 mi · Kernville 10 mi · Wofford Heights 10 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 Weldon (35.6441, -118.3091); 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.