city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Butte City, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Butte City?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, arrowleaf balsamroot)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Butte City, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 169 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms early Jun – 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 Butte City
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.91 mi W.
How Butte City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 31st | 68th | 95th |
| Idaho | 48th | 63rd | 39th | 86th |
| Middle Rockies | 80th | 90th | 61st | 78th |
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 Butte City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Arco 3 mi · Moore 11 mi · Lost River 21 mi · Mackay 28 mi · Carey 41 mi · Mud Lake 41 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 Butte City (43.607, -113.2407); 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.