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Honey bee forage in Plains, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NW); canola (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Plains?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Plains, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, 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 230 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, 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 Plains
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NE; open water 0.41 mi S.
How Plains ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 63rd | 86th | 84th |
| Montana | 98th | 99th | 96th | 50th |
| Northern Rockies | 92nd | 86th | 89th | 90th |
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 Plains: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Paradise 7 mi · Weeksville 8 mi · Hot Springs 14 mi · St. Regis 15 mi · Camas 15 mi · Superior 18 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 Plains (47.4602, -114.8842); 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.