community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Kerr, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kerr?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kerr, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Canola: about 126 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 134 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, 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 Kerr
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi S.
How Kerr ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 63rd | 87th | 92nd |
| Montana | 99th | 99th | 98th | 73rd |
| Northern Rockies | 95th | 86th | 93rd | 94th |
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 Kerr: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Polson 2 mi · Jette 3 mi · Rocky Point 4 mi · Turtle Lake 5 mi · Pablo 6 mi · Kings Point 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 Kerr (47.6764, -114.183); 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.