town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Philipsburg, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (83rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Philipsburg?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Philipsburg, 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 Jun 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Philipsburg
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi N.
How Philipsburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 34th | 85th | 98th |
| Montana | 95th | 83rd | 93rd | 94th |
| Middle Rockies | 97th | 92nd | 97th | 94th |
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 Philipsburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Maxville 10 mi · Hall 18 mi · Drummond 24 mi · Goldcreek 25 mi · Racetrack 27 mi · Garrison 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 Philipsburg (46.3324, -113.296); 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.