community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Big Lake, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.7 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); strawberries (nearest 3.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Big Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, maples)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Big Lake, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; 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 132 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi N, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Oct (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 Big Lake
Mostly: North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Hypermaritime Western Red-cedar-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Big Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 98th | 80th | 54th |
| Washington | 81st | 81st | 54th | 50th |
| Puget Lowland | 30th | 23rd | 79th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Big Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Vernon 3 mi · Clear Lake 4 mi · Lake McMurray 5 mi · Conway 6 mi · Burlington 6 mi · Sedro-Woolley 8 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 Big Lake (48.3958, -122.2432); 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.