city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Belgrade, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (84th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 3.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belgrade?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belgrade, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 247 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms early May – 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 Belgrade
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Alfalfa; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.04 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 78% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Belgrade ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 57th | 81st | 95th |
| Montana | 95th | 98th | 84th | 86th |
| Middle Rockies | 97th | 99th | 93rd | 80th |
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 Belgrade: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Churchill 7 mi · Four Corners 8 mi · Amsterdam 8 mi · King Arthur Park 8 mi · Springhill 8 mi · Manhattan 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 Belgrade (45.7827, -111.1783); 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.