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Honey bee forage in LaCrosse, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (66th percentile) and lowest in summer (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: chickpeas (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in LaCrosse?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, arrowleaf balsamroot)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of LaCrosse, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), rubber rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra 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
- Chickpeas: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 200 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 LaCrosse
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland; Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.82 mi SE.
How LaCrosse ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 52nd | 63rd | 66th |
| Washington | 17th | 38th | 15th | 66th |
| Columbia Plateau | 46th | 59th | 45th | 43rd |
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 LaCrosse: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Endicott 14 mi · Washtucna 19 mi · Starbuck 21 mi · St. John 26 mi · Pomeroy 27 mi · Lamont 28 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 LaCrosse (46.7955, -117.9178); 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.