community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Rocky Point, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rocky Point?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rocky Point, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, snowberry; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, 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
- Canola: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Rocky Point
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.18 mi SE; open water 0.2 mi SE.
How Rocky Point ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 56th | 81st | 82nd |
| Montana | 94th | 98th | 85th | 46th |
| Northern Rockies | 69th | 70th | 42nd | 89th |
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 Rocky Point: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jette 1 mi · Kings Point 3 mi · Polson 4 mi · Kerr 4 mi · Lindisfarne 5 mi · Finley Point 5 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 Point (47.7323, -114.1855); 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.