community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Lonepine, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lonepine?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Oct 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lonepine, 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 2,111 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (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 Lonepine
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.78 mi W.
How Lonepine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 42nd | 91st | 100th |
| Montana | 100th | 92nd | 100th | 100th |
| Northern Rockies | 100th | 41st | 99th | 100th |
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 Lonepine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Camas 5 mi · Hot Springs 6 mi · Niarada 10 mi · Elmo 17 mi · Big Arm 19 mi · Plains 20 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 Lonepine (47.6921, -114.6396); 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.