community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fort Belknap Agency, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 3.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 3.0 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Belknap Agency?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Oct 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Belknap Agency, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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
- Canola: about 163 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 215 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 273 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi SE, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Fort Belknap Agency
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) 0.19 mi NE; open water 0.4 mi W.
How Fort Belknap Agency ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 32nd | 35th | 54th | 93rd |
| Montana | 46th | 84th | 27th | 77th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 22nd | 76th | 10th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Fort Belknap Agency: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harlem 9 mi · North Harlem Colony 11 mi · Zurich 19 mi · Dodson 20 mi · Turner Colony 26 mi · Chinook 28 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 Fort Belknap Agency (48.4301, -108.68); 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.