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Honey bee forage in Reardan, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Reardan?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Reardan, 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 May 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, canola; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; 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
- Mustard: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late May – early Jul (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 Reardan
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 53% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Reardan ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 64th | 78th | 81st |
| Washington | 45th | 56th | 42nd | 84th |
| Columbia Plateau | 83rd | 83rd | 79th | 79th |
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 Reardan: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Medical Lake 11 mi · Fairchild AFB 11 mi · Davenport 13 mi · Airway Heights 14 mi · Four Lakes 16 mi · Suncrest 17 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 Reardan (47.6701, -117.8786); 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.