city in Washington
Honey bee forage in SeaTac, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (60th percentile) and lowest in summer (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: blueberries (nearest 1.9 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in SeaTac?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of SeaTac, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Blueberries: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late Mar – late Apr
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 SeaTac
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.15 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 99% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Blueberries: insecticides used on about 91% of acres in Washington (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How SeaTac ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 39th | 67th | 41st | 31st |
| Washington | 11th | 60th | 2nd | 26th |
| Puget Lowland | below the 1st | 2nd | 1st | 46th |
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 SeaTac: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Normandy Park 2 mi · Tukwila 3 mi · Burien 3 mi · Des Moines 4 mi · Bryn Mawr-Skyway 4 mi · Boulevard Park 5 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 SeaTac (47.4434, -122.2983); 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.