community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Gildford, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gildford?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (mustard, lentils, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gildford, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): mustard, 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): mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, lentils; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Mustard: about 527 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 159 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Gildford
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 46% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Gildford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 37th | 80th | 68th |
| Montana | 83rd | 88th | 83rd | 18th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 51st | 82nd | 54th | 25th |
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 Gildford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hingham 5 mi · Kremlin 10 mi · Rudyard 11 mi · Gildford Colony 16 mi · Inverness 18 mi · Joplin 21 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 Gildford (48.5737, -110.3071); 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.