community in California
Honey bee forage in Yolo, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in fall (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.5 mi E); sunflower (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Yolo?
- First forage: Feb 1 (almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 15, peaking early Mar (almonds)
- Fall flow: May 1 to Jun 15 (sunflower)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Yolo, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): sunflower, almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, cucumbers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): sunflower, almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 418 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Feb – late Mar
- Sunflower: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Yolo
Mostly: Almonds; Walnuts; Pistachios.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.58 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.59 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 45% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Yolo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 86th | 28th | 2nd |
| California | 73rd | 59th | 53rd | 9th |
| Central California Valley | 29th | 28th | 55th | 32nd |
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 Yolo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Woodland 6 mi · Knights Landing 6 mi · Monument Hills 6 mi · Madison 10 mi · Robbins 10 mi · Esparto 12 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 Yolo (38.7405, -121.8093); 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.