community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Antelope, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Antelope?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (peas, lentils)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Antelope, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): peas, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): lentils, peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): peas, lentils, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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
- Peas: about 116 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 133 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Antelope
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Chick Peas; Peas.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.31 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Antelope ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 31st | 78th | 67th |
| Montana | 74th | 74th | 77th | 18th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 45th | 67th | 49th | 25th |
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 Antelope: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Reserve 6 mi · Plentywood 8 mi · Medicine Lake 13 mi · Homestead 19 mi · Outlook 20 mi · Westby 22 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 Antelope (48.6897, -104.454); 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.