city in California
Honey bee forage in Williams, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.1 mi SE); sunflower (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Williams?
- First forage: Jan 16 (almonds, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Williams, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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
- Almonds: about 5,141 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms early Feb – late Mar
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 Williams
Mostly: Rice; Almonds; Walnuts.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 38% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Williams ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 96th | 28th | 10th |
| California | 84th | 74th | 53rd | 26th |
| Central California Valley | 46th | 43rd | 54th | 62nd |
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 Williams: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Colusa 8 mi · Maxwell 9 mi · Arbuckle 10 mi · College City 12 mi · Meridian 12 mi · Grimes 14 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 Williams (39.1498, -122.139); 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.