town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Outlook, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: lentils (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Outlook?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (canola, lentils, peas)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Outlook, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): peas, canola, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, lentils, peas, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, lentils, peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Lentils: about 247 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 61 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 3 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 Outlook
Mostly: Durum Wheat; Lentils; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 54% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Outlook ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 17th | 89th | 41st |
| Montana | 94th | 25th | 99th | 1st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 65th | 23rd | 74th | 3rd |
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 Outlook: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Redstone 9 mi · Plentywood 13 mi · Whitetail 17 mi · Flaxville 19 mi · Antelope 20 mi · Reserve 25 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 Outlook (48.8888, -104.7849); 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.