community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Sčilíp, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sčilíp?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sčilíp, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, willows; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, 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 303 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 Sčilíp
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi W.
How Sčilíp ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 68th | 87th | 85th |
| Montana | 99th | 99th | 97th | 52nd |
| Northern Rockies | 96th | 92nd | 92nd | 91st |
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 Sčilíp: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Old Agency 3 mi · Ravalli 10 mi · Charlo 12 mi · St. Ignatius 12 mi · Arlee 17 mi · Kicking Horse 17 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 Sčilíp (47.3178, -114.3601); 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.