community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Redstone, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Redstone?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Redstone, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, 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; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, native wildflowers; 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 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 67 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Redstone
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Durum Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi W.
How Redstone ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 33rd | 66th | 88th |
| Montana | 62nd | 81st | 53rd | 62nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 35th | 73rd | 29th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Redstone: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Outlook 9 mi · Flaxville 11 mi · Whitetail 11 mi · Plentywood 18 mi · Scobey 22 mi · Antelope 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 Redstone (48.8217, -104.9433); 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.