city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Lewistown, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lewistown?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, mustard)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lewistown, 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, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, mustard, clovers: white, alsike and red, lentils; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, mustard; extra light amber, 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 169 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 105 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 174 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Lewistown
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi N.
How Lewistown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 42nd | 83rd | 90th |
| Montana | 92nd | 93rd | 88th | 67th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 90th | 93rd | 88th | 56th |
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 Lewistown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewistown Heights 2 mi · King Ranch Colony 9 mi · Spring Creek Colony 11 mi · Brooks 11 mi · Warm Spring Creek 12 mi · Moore 13 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 Lewistown (47.0514, -109.4524); 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.