community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Hilldale Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hilldale Colony?
- First forage: May 16 (peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (mustard, lentils, peas)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hilldale Colony, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): peas, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): mustard, lentils, alfalfa, peas; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): buckwheat, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): mustard, lentils, peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, 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
- Lentils: about 1,830 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 316 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 125 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 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 Hilldale Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 48% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Hilldale Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 8th | 86th | 50th |
| Montana | 85th | 11th | 96th | 3rd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 54th | 9th | 67th | 7th |
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 Hilldale Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East End Colony 11 mi · Havre North 17 mi · West Havre 18 mi · Beaver Creek 18 mi · Hartland Colony 18 mi · Herron 19 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 Hilldale Colony (48.8035, -109.7832); 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.