community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Lindsay, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (64th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lindsay?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lindsay, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Peas: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms late May – early Jul (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 Lindsay
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Spring Wheat; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.38 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Lindsay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 35th | 28th | 66th | 76th |
| Montana | 51st | 64th | 52nd | 32nd |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 53rd | 47th | 67th | 13th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Lindsay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bloomfield 17 mi · West Glendive 20 mi · Glendive 22 mi · Circle 24 mi · Fallon 27 mi · Brockway 29 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 Lindsay (47.2249, -105.1528); 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.