city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Malta, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in summer (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here); corn (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Malta?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Malta, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, weedy mustards; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, 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
- Alfalfa: about 3,812 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 372 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Malta
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin & Intermountain Ruderal Shrubland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi SE.
How Malta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 32nd | 84th | 74th |
| Idaho | 80th | 64th | 88th | 43rd |
| Northern Basin and Range | 99th | 88th | 99th | 23rd |
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 Malta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Albion 13 mi · Declo 20 mi · Rupert 27 mi · Heyburn 27 mi · Oakley 27 mi · Burley 27 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 Malta (42.3075, -113.3697); 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.