community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Browning, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (87th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Browning?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 30, peaking early Aug (spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Browning, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Nov (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 Browning
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi NE.
How Browning ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 37th | 82nd | 99th |
| Montana | 95th | 88th | 87th | 97th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 66th | 81st | 58th | 96th |
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 Browning: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Browning 1 mi · North Browning 1 mi · Blackfoot 7 mi · Starr School 7 mi · East Glacier Park Village 12 mi · Hidden Lake Colony 19 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 Browning (48.5564, -113.0151); 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.