community in Washington

Honey bee forage in Hat Island, Washington

Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (10th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.

When is the honey flow in Hat Island?

  • First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), willows)
  • Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry)
  • Season ends: Aug 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hat Island, 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 13.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
  • Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
  • 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): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time

Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.

Bee crops within flight range

No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.

The land and water around Hat Island

Mostly: Open water; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.

Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi NE.

How Hat Island ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US94th99th62nd9th
Washington79th89th13th10th
Puget Lowland26th46th7th12th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 59% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.

The national forage map around Hat Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Clinton 4 mi · Langley 4 mi · Everett 7 mi · Mukilteo 7 mi · Lake Goodwin 9 mi · Marysville 9 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 Hat Island (48.0134, -122.3207); 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.