community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Kingsbury Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kingsbury Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, mustard, canola)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kingsbury 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola, mustard, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard, canola; 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
- Mustard: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 588 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Oct (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 49 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Kingsbury Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.24 mi E.
How Kingsbury Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 22nd | 79th | 97th |
| Montana | 82nd | 39th | 78th | 92nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 50th | 35th | 50th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Kingsbury Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Birch Creek Colony 4 mi · Pondera Colony 5 mi · Dupuyer 8 mi · Valier 11 mi · New Miami Colony 12 mi · Heart Butte 16 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 Kingsbury Colony (48.3044, -112.4846); 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.