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The great bee road trip

Every winter, millions of beehives ride trucks across America — all heading to the same giant flower party in California.

✅ What we know (fact)

California's almond orchards all bloom at once in February — and almonds can't make nuts without bee visits. There aren't nearly enough local bees, so beekeepers truck hives in from across the country.

Basis: Migratory beekeeping for the almond bloom is well documented by USDA.

✅ What we know (fact)

That's why the January 1 count shows California hosting close to a million colonies (this site's quiz). Many hives then head to the northern plains for summer — which helps make North Dakota the honey-production champion (see the honey quiz).

Basis: USDA NASS colony counts by date (Jan 1 vs summer) — see the quiz sources.

✅ What we know (fact)

A beehive is a travelling farm worker: after almonds, many hives move on to pollinate cherries, apples, blueberries and more before summering in the plains.

Basis: Standard migratory beekeeping routes documented by USDA and extension services.

One little hive might pollinate almonds in California AND blueberries in the north in the same year. What's the most well-travelled food helper you can think of?

📊 Sources for the rankings mentioned in this note (links to the original data and retrieval dates) are on each quiz page below.

Check it in the connected quizzes

Where do America's bees spend New Year's? 🐝 Which state leads in honey? 🍯 Which state leads in blueberries? 🫐

🐝 The great bee road trip

🎯 Check it in the connected quizzes

The great bee road trip

Check it in the connected quizzes