community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Loomis, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here); apples (nearest 0.1 mi S); cherries (nearest 0.5 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Loomis?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, maples, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to May 31, peaking early May (apples, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Oct 15 (alfalfa, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Loomis, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, apples; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 275 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Apples: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early May – late May
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 Loomis
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; North Pacific Montane Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Apples: insecticides used on about 76% of acres in Washington (2025); Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 93% of acres in Washington (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025); Pears: insecticides used on about 69% of acres in Washington (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 Loomis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 67th | 78th | 97th |
| Washington | 57th | 60th | 45th | 98th |
| North Cascades | 72nd | 74th | 26th | 96th |
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 Loomis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tonasket 12 mi · Oroville 13 mi · Conconully 19 mi · Riverside 22 mi · North Omak 28 mi · Omak 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 Loomis (48.8233, -119.6397); 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.