community in Montana
Honey bee forage in King Ranch Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (70th percentile) and lowest in spring (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in King Ranch Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- 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 King Ranch 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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 5,347 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 84 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi N, blooms late Jun – late 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 King Ranch Colony
Mostly: Alfalfa; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 35% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How King Ranch Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 15th | 75th | 83rd |
| Montana | 65th | 21st | 70th | 47th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 69th | 5th | 79th | 26th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 King Ranch Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Moore 6 mi · Spring Creek Colony 7 mi · Lewistown Heights 8 mi · Lewistown 9 mi · Hobson 12 mi · Danvers 12 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 King Ranch Colony (47.0572, -109.6362); 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.