community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Roberts, 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 (75th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Roberts?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Roberts, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 195 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Roberts
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.4 mi E.
How Roberts ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 57th | 83rd | 92nd |
| Montana | 96th | 98th | 88th | 75th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 93rd | 99th | 89th | 68th |
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 Roberts: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fox 4 mi · Boyd 9 mi · Red Lodge 11 mi · Luther 12 mi · Bearcreek 13 mi · Bridger 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 Roberts (45.3436, -109.1818); 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.