town in Washington
Honey bee forage in Lyman, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: blueberries (nearest 0.8 mi E); apples (nearest 1.1 mi NE); strawberries (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lyman?
- First forage: Feb 16 (willows, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lyman, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; 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
- Blueberries: about 546 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May
- Apples: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms late Apr – early May
- Strawberries: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Mar – late Jun (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 Lyman
Mostly: North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest; North Pacific Mesic Western Hemlock-Silver Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Blueberries: insecticides used on about 91% of acres in Washington (2025); Apples: insecticides used on about 76% of acres in Washington (2025); Strawberries: insecticides used on about 76% of acres in Washington (2016). 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 Lyman ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 98th | 81st | 54th |
| Washington | 80th | 80th | 58th | 49th |
| Puget Lowland | 26th | 18th | 85th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Lyman: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hamilton 3 mi · Sedro-Woolley 8 mi · Clear Lake 10 mi · Big Lake 12 mi · Burlington 13 mi · Alger 13 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 Lyman (48.5238, -122.0656); 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.