city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Plentywood, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 1.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Plentywood?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Plentywood, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, lentils; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Canola: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jun – 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 Plentywood
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Durum Wheat; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi E.
How Plentywood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 46th | 76th | 86th |
| Montana | 82nd | 95th | 70th | 55th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 51st | 91st | 44th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Plentywood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Antelope 8 mi · Reserve 13 mi · Outlook 13 mi · Redstone 18 mi · Medicine Lake 19 mi · Westby 24 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 Plentywood (48.776, -104.5573); 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.