community in Washington
Honey bee forage in North Yelm, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: strawberries (nearest 3.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North Yelm?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, willows, maples)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North Yelm, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, himalayan blackberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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
- Strawberries: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NE, blooms early Mar – early 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 North Yelm
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.07 mi N.
How North Yelm ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 99th | 76th | 47th |
| Washington | 85th | 87th | 37th | 41st |
| Puget Lowland | 38th | 40th | 48th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 North Yelm: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yelm 2 mi · McKenna 4 mi · Roy 4 mi · Nisqually Indian Community 5 mi · Rainier 6 mi · Fort Lewis 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 North Yelm (46.966, -122.6131); 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.