city in California
Honey bee forage in Willows, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (57th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.5 mi E); corn (nearest 1.5 mi NW); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Willows?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, almonds, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 31, peaking early Mar (dandelion, almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willows, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, almonds; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, garden flowers; 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 145 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, 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 Willows
Mostly: Rice; Almonds; Walnuts.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.19 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 40% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Heavily developed. About 54% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Willows ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 84th | 23rd | 14th |
| California | 70th | 57th | 46th | 32nd |
| Central California Valley | 24th | 26th | 45th | 68th |
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 Willows: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Artois 8 mi · Princeton 12 mi · Orland 16 mi · Maxwell 16 mi · Hamilton City 19 mi · Elk Creek 19 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 Willows (39.5148, -122.1992); 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.