town in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Washington, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Washington?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to May 31, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Dec 31
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 Feb 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Soybeans: about 533 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi N, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 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 Washington
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NW.
How Washington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 96th | 30th | 31st |
| Louisiana | 91st | 88th | 83rd | 57th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 97th | 98th | 77th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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
Opelousas 6 mi · Port Barre 7 mi · Lebeau 10 mi · Lawtell 10 mi · Palmetto 11 mi · Leonville 12 mi
All towns in Louisiana · 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 (30.6156, -92.0599); 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.