community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Pendroy, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pendroy?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (mustard, alfalfa, peas)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pendroy, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas, mustard; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard, peas; 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
- Mustard: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 165 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 302 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late 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 Pendroy
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.55 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Pendroy ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 20th | 80th | 71st |
| Montana | 75th | 33rd | 82nd | 22nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 45th | 30th | 54th | 29th |
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 Pendroy: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bynum 7 mi · Rockport Colony 8 mi · New Miami Colony 8 mi · Miller Colony 10 mi · Dupuyer 11 mi · Pondera Colony 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 Pendroy (48.073, -112.2992); 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.