community in Washington
Honey bee forage in South Wenatchee, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring and fall (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: cherries (right here); apples (nearest 1.1 mi E).
When is the honey flow in South Wenatchee?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to May 31, peaking late Apr (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, cherries)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Wenatchee, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cherries, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, cherries; 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
- Cherries: about 191 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms early Apr – early May
- Apples: about 352 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi E, blooms late Apr – early May
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 South Wenatchee
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Cherries.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% 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. Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 93% of acres in Washington (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025); Apples: insecticides used on about 76% 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 South Wenatchee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 81st | 58th | 68th |
| Washington | 34th | 68th | 9th | 68th |
| Columbia Plateau | 74th | 93rd | 28th | 47th |
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 South Wenatchee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Wenatchee 2 mi · Wenatchee 3 mi · Rock Island 7 mi · Sunnyslope 8 mi · Cashmere 12 mi · Crescent Bar 18 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 South Wenatchee (47.3944, -120.2893); 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.