community in California
Honey bee forage in West Menlo Park, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (75th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.5 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in West Menlo Park?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Menlo Park, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi SW, blooms early Apr – 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 West Menlo Park
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.45 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.72 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 99% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How West Menlo Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 97th | 48th | 52nd |
| California | 88th | 80th | 75th | 86th |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 69th | 44th | 69th | 80th |
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 West Menlo Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Atherton 2 mi · Stanford 2 mi · Ladera 2 mi · North Fair Oaks 3 mi · Woodside 3 mi · Emerald Lake Hills 4 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 West Menlo Park (37.4338, -122.2034); 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.