community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Bynum, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (68th percentile) and lowest in spring (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here); canola (nearest 1.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bynum?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bynum, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, 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 720 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 135 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, 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 Bynum
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi N.
How Bynum ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 11th | 74th | 88th |
| Montana | 64th | 16th | 68th | 61st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 36th | 14th | 42nd | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Bynum: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Miller Colony 3 mi · Pendroy 7 mi · Rockport Colony 10 mi · Choteau 12 mi · New Rockport Colony 15 mi · New Miami 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 Bynum (47.9681, -112.3165); 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.