community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Lakeside, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.13 mi SE.
When is the honey flow in Lakeside?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lakeside, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Lakeside
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S.
How Lakeside ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 50th | 78th | 70th |
| Montana | 84th | 96th | 75th | 21st |
| Northern Rockies | 39th | 58th | 7th | 78th |
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 Lakeside: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Somers 4 mi · Forest Hill Village 7 mi · Woods Bay 8 mi · Rollins 8 mi · Bigfork 9 mi · Lake Mary Ronan 10 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 Lakeside (48.0183, -114.2319); 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.