city in Washington
Honey bee forage in Oak Harbor, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.9 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oak Harbor?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oak Harbor, 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 14.
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, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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
- Corn: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms late May – early Sep (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 Oak Harbor
Mostly: Open water; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Oak Harbor ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 64th | 48th |
| Washington | 62nd | 76th | 16th | 42nd |
| Puget Lowland | 8th | 10th | 9th | 75th |
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 Oak Harbor: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whidbey Island Station 4 mi · Coupeville 6 mi · La Conner 9 mi · Camano 12 mi · Lake Ketchum 13 mi · Northwest Stanwood 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 Oak Harbor (48.2938, -122.6282); 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.