community in California
Honey bee forage in Washington, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (60th percentile) and lowest in fall (10th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Washington?
- First forage: Mar 1 (kinnikinnick, maples, dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking late Apr (kinnikinnick, snowberry, ceanothus: redstem)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Washington, 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 Apr 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): snowberry, kinnikinnick, ceanothus: redstem, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, kinnikinnick, ceanothus: redstem, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Washington
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; open water 0.02 mi N.
How Washington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 45th | 87th | 23rd | 2nd |
| California | 45th | 60th | 47th | 10th |
| Sierra Nevada | 62nd | 79th | 20th | 5th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Washington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Graniteville 7 mi · Alleghany 8 mi · Alta 10 mi · Dutch Flat 11 mi · Pike 12 mi · Goodyears Bar 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 Washington (39.3592, -120.7905); 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.