community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Rockport Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockport Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (mustard, alfalfa, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockport Colony, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, mustard, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, mustard, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, mustard, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Mustard: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 2 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 Rockport Colony
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Northwestern Great Plains Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.18 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi S.
How Rockport Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 13th | 79th | 89th |
| Montana | 75th | 19th | 78th | 66th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 45th | 17th | 51st | 63rd |
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 Rockport Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dupuyer 8 mi · Pendroy 8 mi · Bynum 10 mi · Pondera Colony 12 mi · Birch Creek Colony 12 mi · New Miami Colony 12 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 Rockport Colony (48.0673, -112.4761); 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.