city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Salmon, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Salmon?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Salmon, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Salmon
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Salmon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 66th | 80th | 94th |
| Idaho | 96th | 98th | 73rd | 83rd |
| Middle Rockies | 98th | 99th | 92nd | 73rd |
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 Salmon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Leadore 43 mi · Challis 49 mi · Clayton 68 mi · Yellow Pine 79 mi · Stanley 84 mi · Elk City 87 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 Salmon (45.1744, -113.8948); 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.