city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Hamilton, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (78th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hamilton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hamilton, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra 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, willows; 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 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Hamilton
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Riparian Woodland; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.47 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.51 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Hamilton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 77th | 84th | 93rd |
| Montana | 98th | 100th | 90th | 78th |
| Middle Rockies | 99th | 100th | 96th | 72nd |
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 Hamilton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Corvallis 5 mi · Pinesdale 6 mi · Charlos Heights 8 mi · Victor 11 mi · Darby 16 mi · Stevensville 18 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 Hamilton (46.2526, -114.1601); 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.