city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Sandpoint, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sandpoint?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sandpoint, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, snowberry; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Oct (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 Sandpoint
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi E; open water 0.32 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 76% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sandpoint ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 62nd | 72nd | 74th |
| Idaho | 77th | 97th | 47th | 43rd |
| Northern Rockies | 43rd | 85th | 1st | 83rd |
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 Sandpoint: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ponderay 2 mi · Dover 3 mi · Kootenai 3 mi · Laclede 12 mi · Hope 12 mi · East Hope 13 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 Sandpoint (48.2817, -116.56); 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.