community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Beaver Creek, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Beaver Creek?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Beaver Creek, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard, dandelion, peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard, alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Mustard: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early 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 Beaver Creek
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.53 mi NE.
How Beaver Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 34th | 71st | 71st |
| Montana | 63rd | 82nd | 62nd | 22nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 36th | 74th | 36th | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Beaver Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Herron 2 mi · West Havre 3 mi · Havre 6 mi · Havre North 6 mi · Saddle Butte 8 mi · Laredo 9 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 Beaver Creek (48.5437, -109.8069); 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.