city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in St. Maries, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Maries?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Maries, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 2 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 St. Maries
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi SW.
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 St. Maries ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 64th | 78th | 69th |
| Idaho | 88th | 97th | 60th | 34th |
| Northern Rockies | 60th | 87th | 8th | 77th |
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 St. Maries: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Parkline 6 mi · Conkling Park 11 mi · Plummer 15 mi · Harrison 15 mi · Fernwood 16 mi · Worley 17 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 St. Maries (47.3146, -116.5722); 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.