community in Washington
Honey bee forage in McKenna, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sweet corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McKenna?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, willows, maples)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McKenna, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, himalayan blackberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, 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
- Sweet corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 McKenna
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi N.
How McKenna ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 98th | 79th | 55th |
| Washington | 84th | 84th | 49th | 50th |
| Puget Lowland | 37th | 31st | 72nd | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 McKenna: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Yelm 4 mi · Roy 4 mi · Yelm 4 mi · Rainier 7 mi · South Creek 9 mi · Nisqually Indian Community 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 McKenna (46.9347, -122.5499); 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.