community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Polebridge, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Nearest mapped water: open water, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Polebridge?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (willows, snowberry, huckleberries)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Polebridge, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, huckleberries, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; dark amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, huckleberries, native wildflowers, fireweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fireweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): willows, snowberry, huckleberries, native wildflowers; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Polebridge
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.05 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NE.
How Polebridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 58th | 84th | 77th |
| Montana | 96th | 98th | 91st | 34th |
| Canadian Rockies | 93rd | 98th | 80th | 32nd |
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 Polebridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Olney 20 mi · Whitefish 23 mi · West Glacier 23 mi · Stryker 23 mi · Coram 25 mi · Columbia Falls 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 Polebridge (48.7615, -114.2816); 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.