community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Acton, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); safflower (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Acton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Acton, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, safflower; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Sunflower: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Safflower: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 103 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Acton
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi N.
How Acton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 35th | 71st | 66th |
| Montana | 62nd | 84th | 61st | 16th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 66th | 77th | 73rd | 4th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Acton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mountain View Colony 10 mi · Billings 11 mi · Lockwood 15 mi · Broadview 15 mi · Shepherd 16 mi · Huntley 18 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 Acton (45.9289, -108.6787); 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.