city in Washington
Honey bee forage in Dayton, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dayton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, peas, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dayton, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, peas, canola; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, chick Peas, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, peas, chick Peas; extra 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
- Peas: about 1,170 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 234 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Apr – 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 Dayton
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Peas; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 51% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Dayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 90th | 69th | 52nd |
| Washington | 51st | 72nd | 24th | 47th |
| Columbia Plateau | 86th | 96th | 62nd | 19th |
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 Dayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waitsburg 9 mi · Dixie 15 mi · Starbuck 16 mi · Prescott 16 mi · Pomeroy 21 mi · Pataha 23 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 Dayton (46.3168, -117.9768); 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.