community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Blackfoot, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blackfoot?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Sep 30, peaking early Aug (spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blackfoot, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 512 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Oct (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 Blackfoot
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SW.
How Blackfoot ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 27th | 80th | 100th |
| Montana | 92nd | 58th | 81st | 99th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 62nd | 51st | 53rd | 98th |
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 Blackfoot: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Browning 7 mi · South Browning 7 mi · North Browning 7 mi · Starr School 12 mi · Hidden Lake Colony 12 mi · Seville Colony 16 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 Blackfoot (48.5771, -112.8733); 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.