city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Helena, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Helena?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Helena
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.55 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.94 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Helena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 48th | 70th | 82nd |
| Montana | 74th | 96th | 60th | 44th |
| Middle Rockies | 87th | 98th | 68th | 39th |
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 Helena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Hills 3 mi · Unionville 5 mi · Helena West Side 5 mi · East Helena 5 mi · Helena Valley West Central 5 mi · Helena Valley Southeast 6 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 Helena (46.5955, -112.0187); 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.