city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Judith Gap, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Judith Gap?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Judith Gap, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 2,972 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, 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 Judith Gap
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi SW.
How Judith Gap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 36th | 85th | 97th |
| Montana | 94th | 86th | 93rd | 90th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 92nd | 81st | 91st | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Judith Gap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springwater Colony 15 mi · Harlowton 17 mi · Moore 21 mi · Duncan Ranch Colony 21 mi · Hobson 23 mi · Twodot 23 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 Judith Gap (46.679, -109.7534); 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.