community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Maple Falls, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Maple Falls?
- First forage: Mar 1 (maples, dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Maple Falls, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, huckleberries; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry, huckleberries, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, huckleberries; 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 Maple Falls
Mostly: North Pacific Mesic Western Hemlock-Silver Fir Forest; North Pacific Lowland Mixed Hardwood-Conifer Forest; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi W.
How Maple Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 99th | 84th | 23rd |
| Washington | 90th | 85th | 76th | 20th |
| North Cascades | 98th | 98th | 63rd | 15th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Maple Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kendall 2 mi · Peaceful Valley 3 mi · Glacier 7 mi · Deming 9 mi · Sumas 10 mi · Nooksack 10 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 Maple Falls (48.9188, -122.0912); 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.