city in Washington
Honey bee forage in Cheney, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cheney?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cheney, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, willows; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, canola, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, canola, alfalfa; 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
- Canola: about 221 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms late May – 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 Cheney
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Columbia Basin Foothill Riparian Woodland; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.57 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.64 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 60% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cheney ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 69th | 79th | 75th |
| Washington | 51st | 62nd | 47th | 76th |
| Columbia Plateau | 86th | 88th | 82nd | 65th |
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 Cheney: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Four Lakes 5 mi · Medical Lake 7 mi · Fairchild AFB 9 mi · Spangle 10 mi · Airway Heights 11 mi · Spokane 14 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 Cheney (47.4911, -117.5815); 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.