community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Union, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Union?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, maples, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Union, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, dandelion, 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
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi S, blooms late May – late Sep (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 Union
Mostly: Open water; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SE.
How Union ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 99th | 75th | 37th |
| Washington | 84th | 87th | 34th | 30th |
| Puget Lowland | 35th | 41st | 40th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Union: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Skokomish 3 mi · Hoodsport 5 mi · Shelton 8 mi · Allyn 12 mi · Grapeview 12 mi · Belfair 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 Union (47.3475, -123.0951); 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.