community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Loma, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 8% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Loma?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Loma, 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 14.
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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Alfalfa: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms early Jul – early 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 Loma
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi NW.
How Loma ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 18th | 29th | 43rd | 68th |
| Montana | 8th | 67th | 7th | 19th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 2nd | 58th | 2nd | 26th |
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 Loma: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Benton 11 mi · Sunnybrook Colony 18 mi · Big Sandy 23 mi · Carter 24 mi · Geraldine 26 mi · Twin Hills Colony 27 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 Loma (47.9511, -110.4886); 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.