community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Dell, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 2.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dell?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, willows, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dell, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, dandelion; 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 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 4 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 Dell
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi SE.
How Dell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 26th | 74th | 98th |
| Montana | 75th | 55th | 67th | 92nd |
| Middle Rockies | 87th | 85th | 82nd | 91st |
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 Dell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lima 8 mi · Grant 27 mi · Dillon 34 mi · Argenta 39 mi · Lakeview 44 mi · Alder 50 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 Dell (44.7268, -112.6969); 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.