community in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Rockford Bay, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 3.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 3.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockford Bay?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockford Bay, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows; 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
- Canola: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late 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 Rockford Bay
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SE.
How Rockford Bay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 61st | 75th | 58th |
| Idaho | 76th | 96th | 53rd | 20th |
| Northern Rockies | 42nd | 81st | 2nd | 53rd |
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 Rockford Bay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harrison 5 mi · Worley 8 mi · Conkling Park 9 mi · Plummer 12 mi · Fernan Lake Village 13 mi · Huetter 14 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 Rockford Bay (47.5086, -116.8865); 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.