community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Clarkston Heights-Vineland, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: lentils (nearest 1.8 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 2.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clarkston Heights-Vineland?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, yellow starthistle)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clarkston Heights-Vineland, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, yellow starthistle; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, dandelion; light 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, garden flowers; 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
- Lentils: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi W, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early Jun – late 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 Clarkston Heights-Vineland
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland; Columbia Basin Foothill and Canyon Dry Grassland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SW; open water 0.44 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 34% of acres in Washington (2025); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 34% of acres in Washington (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Clarkston Heights-Vineland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 87th | 70th | 65th |
| Washington | 53rd | 71st | 25th | 63rd |
| Columbia Plateau | 87th | 95th | 64th | 39th |
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 Clarkston Heights-Vineland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Clarkston-Highland 2 mi · Clarkston 3 mi · Asotin 4 mi · Uniontown 11 mi · Colton 13 mi · Anatone 17 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 Clarkston Heights-Vineland (46.3754, -117.092); 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.