community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Ponderosa Pines, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ponderosa Pines?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ponderosa Pines, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot, willows; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry; 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
- Peas: about 71 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Ponderosa Pines
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi S.
How Ponderosa Pines ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 35th | 36th | 61st | 80th |
| Montana | 51st | 87th | 39th | 39th |
| Middle Rockies | 65th | 94th | 41st | 34th |
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 Ponderosa Pines: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gallatin River Ranch 9 mi · Toston 10 mi · Logan 11 mi · Wheatland 11 mi · Manhattan 12 mi · Three Forks 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 Ponderosa Pines (46.0321, -111.3671); 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.