town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Dutton, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: chickpeas (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dutton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dutton, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, chick Peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Chickpeas: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi N, blooms early May – late 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 Dutton
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; open water 0.32 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 45% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Dutton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 52nd | 73rd | 75th |
| Montana | 80th | 97th | 66th | 30th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 49th | 94th | 40th | 37th |
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 Dutton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Power 9 mi · Brady 14 mi · New Rockport Colony 15 mi · Midway Colony 20 mi · Fairfield 20 mi · Vaughn 22 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 Dutton (47.8475, -111.7143); 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.