town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Dodson, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 2.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dodson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dodson, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 816 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 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 Dodson
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SE.
How Dodson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 54th | 79th | 70th |
| Montana | 89th | 98th | 80th | 21st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 58th | 96th | 52nd | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Dodson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Malta 18 mi · Fort Belknap Agency 20 mi · Harlem 26 mi · North Harlem Colony 27 mi · Turner Colony 27 mi · Lodge Pole 29 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 Dodson (48.3953, -108.2472); 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.