community in Idaho
Honey bee forage in De Smet, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: chickpeas (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in De Smet?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jul (chick Peas, snowberry, lentils)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of De Smet, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, lentils; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): chick Peas, snowberry, lentils, sunflower; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): chick Peas, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, lentils; 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
- Chickpeas: about 217 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 89 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late May – 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 De Smet
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How De Smet ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 36th | 75th | 54th |
| Idaho | 49th | 70th | 52nd | 16th |
| Columbia Plateau | 46th | 19th | 73rd | 21st |
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 De Smet: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tensed 1 mi · Plummer 13 mi · Onaway 15 mi · Potlatch 15 mi · Princeton 16 mi · Parkline 17 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 De Smet (47.141, -116.9114); 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.