city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Montpelier, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (84th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Montpelier?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Jun (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Montpelier, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 850 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, 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 Montpelier
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.45 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Montpelier ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 46th | 84th | 98th |
| Idaho | 95th | 84th | 88th | 96th |
| Wyoming Basin | 100th | 100th | 100th | 100th |
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 Montpelier: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bennington 4 mi · Paris 9 mi · Bloomington 11 mi · Georgetown 11 mi · St. Charles 16 mi · Soda Springs 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 Montpelier (42.326, -111.2988); 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.