community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fox Lake, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fox Lake?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fox Lake, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late May – early 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 Fox Lake
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SW.
How Fox Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 41st | 34th | 66th | 81st |
| Montana | 60th | 84th | 53rd | 43rd |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 63rd | 75th | 67th | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Fox Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crane 20 mi · Richey 21 mi · Savage 21 mi · Sidney 22 mi · Bloomfield 23 mi · Fairview 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 Fox Lake (47.6857, -104.6307); 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.