city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Lost River, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lost River?
- First forage: Apr 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Sep 30, peaking early Aug (native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lost River, 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 Jun 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot, willows, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, native wildflowers; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, arrowleaf balsamroot; 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 4 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 Lost River
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SW.
How Lost River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 30th | 11th | 61st | 97th |
| Idaho | 33rd | 27th | 30th | 91st |
| Middle Rockies | 57th | 58th | 43rd | 87th |
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 Lost River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Moore 14 mi · Mackay 15 mi · Arco 17 mi · Butte City 21 mi · Carey 30 mi · Bellevue 35 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 Lost River (43.6883, -113.6353); 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.