city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bonners Ferry?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (canola, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bonners Ferry, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, alfalfa, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): canola, alfalfa, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Canola: about 471 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Apr – 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 Bonners Ferry
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi W.
How Bonners Ferry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 66th | 82nd | 82nd |
| Idaho | 96th | 98th | 83rd | 59th |
| Northern Rockies | 83rd | 90th | 53rd | 89th |
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 Bonners Ferry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Moyie Springs 6 mi · Kootenai 28 mi · Coolin 28 mi · Ponderay 29 mi · Sandpoint 31 mi · Hope 31 mi
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 Bonners Ferry (48.6934, -116.3184); 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.