community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Boyds, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 3.4 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Boyds?
- First forage: Mar 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (snowberry, willows)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Boyds, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): snowberry, willows, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, willows, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Oct (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 Boyds
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi E.
How Boyds ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 75th | 82nd | 54th |
| Washington | 60th | 65th | 64th | 50th |
| Northern Rockies | 84th | 97th | 49th | 45th |
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 Boyds: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barstow 4 mi · Marcus 5 mi · Barney's Junction 7 mi · Kettle Falls 9 mi · Orient 10 mi · Colville 16 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 Boyds (48.7244, -118.1321); 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.