community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Alder, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alder?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alder, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 1,045 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Alder
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi E.
How Alder ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 42nd | 82nd | 97th |
| Montana | 93rd | 92nd | 85th | 90th |
| Middle Rockies | 95th | 96th | 94th | 86th |
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 Alder: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Virginia City 9 mi · Brandon 10 mi · Sheridan 10 mi · Ennis 18 mi · Twin Bridges 19 mi · Jeffers 20 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 Alder (45.3216, -112.1092); 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.