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Honey bee forage in Cusick, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cusick?
- First forage: Mar 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cusick, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, dandelion, canada thistle; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, sweet clovers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Sunflower: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early May – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Buckwheat: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – 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 Cusick
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Riparian Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi W.
How Cusick ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 58th | 68th | 70th |
| Washington | 27th | 48th | 23rd | 70th |
| Northern Rockies | 25th | 75th | below the 1st | 78th |
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 Cusick: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newport 15 mi · Chewelah 20 mi · Valley 23 mi · Loon Lake 24 mi · Addy 25 mi · Clayton 26 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 Cusick (48.3285, -117.2925); 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.