city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Ontario, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ontario?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ontario, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra 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
- Corn: about 543 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 471 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 Ontario
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.39 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.45 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 89% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ontario ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 81st | 78th | 61st |
| Oregon | 76th | 74th | 73rd | 46th |
| Snake River Plain | 93rd | 98th | 71st | 15th |
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 Ontario: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nyssa 10 mi · Vale 13 mi · Annex 14 mi · Adrian 20 mi · Huntington 27 mi · Brogan 31 mi
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 Ontario (44.0253, -116.9774); 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.