community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Oso, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Oso?
- First forage: Feb 16 (willows, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, 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 Oso, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 Oso
Mostly: North Pacific Mesic Western Hemlock-Silver Fir Forest; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Seasonal Sitka Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N.
How Oso ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 99th | 84th | 29th |
| Washington | 95th | 91st | 72nd | 24th |
| North Cascades | 99th | 100th | 55th | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Oso: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Cavanaugh 5 mi · Arlington Heights 8 mi · Swede Heaven 9 mi · Bryant 12 mi · Canyon Creek 12 mi · Arlington 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 Oso (48.2838, -121.9162); 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.