city in Montana
Honey bee forage in East Helena, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Helena?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Helena, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, willows; 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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, 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
- Mustard: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 East Helena
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi W.
How East Helena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 45th | 71st | 86th |
| Montana | 75th | 94th | 61st | 54th |
| Middle Rockies | 87th | 97th | 72nd | 50th |
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 East Helena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Helena Valley Southeast 3 mi · South Hills 4 mi · Montana City 4 mi · Helena 5 mi · Unionville 8 mi · Helena Valley West Central 8 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 East Helena (46.5845, -111.9208); 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.