community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Rocky Boy West, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: camelina (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rocky Boy West?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (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 Rocky Boy West, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; 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, dandelion; 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
- Camelina: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Rocky Boy West
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NW.
How Rocky Boy West ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 39th | 64th | 81st |
| Montana | 62nd | 90th | 48th | 42nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 34th | 85th | 26th | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Rocky Boy West: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Box Elder 2 mi · Boneau 5 mi · Sangrey 8 mi · Azure 8 mi · St. Pierre 9 mi · Big Sandy 10 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 Rocky Boy West (48.2972, -109.9918); 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.