community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Onalaska, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 2.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 2.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Onalaska?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Onalaska, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, maples; extra 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, maples; extra 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
- Canola: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi S, blooms early Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 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 Onalaska
Mostly: North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi N.
How Onalaska ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 99th | 80th | 48th |
| Washington | 90th | 87th | 55th | 42nd |
| Puget Lowland | 53rd | 40th | 81st | 76th |
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 Onalaska: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Napavine 9 mi · Mossyrock 11 mi · Toledo 11 mi · Winlock 12 mi · Chehalis 13 mi · Centralia 16 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 Onalaska (46.5782, -122.7111); 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.