community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Sprague River, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in fall (64th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sprague River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sprague River, 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 May 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Sprague River
Mostly: North American Arid West Emergent Marsh; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SE.
How Sprague River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 39th | 44th | 61st | 72nd |
| Oregon | 42nd | 57th | 46th | 64th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 51st | 69th | 39th | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Sprague River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Beatty 12 mi · Bonanza 18 mi · Chiloquin 20 mi · Altamont 21 mi · Klamath Falls 22 mi · Oregon Shores 22 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 Sprague River (42.4566, -121.5021); 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.