community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Banks Lake South, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here); sunflower (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Banks Lake South?
- First forage: Mar 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 15, peaking early May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Banks Lake South, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, sunflower, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, rubber rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 283 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Oct (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 1 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 Banks Lake South
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland; Open water; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi W.
How Banks Lake South ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 58th | 70th | 86th |
| Washington | 31st | 47th | 26th | 89th |
| Columbia Plateau | 71st | 71st | 65th | 88th |
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 Banks Lake South: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coulee City 1 mi · Hartline 9 mi · Wilson Creek 16 mi · Almira 17 mi · Soap Lake 19 mi · Krupp 20 mi
All towns in Washington · 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 Banks Lake South (47.6301, -119.2744); 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.