community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Sage Creek Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sage Creek Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (mustard, alfalfa, canola)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sage Creek 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, chick Peas, mustard, lentils; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, canola, mustard, chick Peas; white, 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
- Canola: about 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 122 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Sage Creek Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Spring Wheat; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.09 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi W.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Sage Creek Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 21st | 79th | 92nd |
| Montana | 78th | 35th | 78th | 74th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 47th | 31st | 51st | 70th |
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 Sage Creek Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whitlash 13 mi · Eagle Creek Colony 19 mi · Joplin 27 mi · Inverness 28 mi · Chester 29 mi · Rudyard 32 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 Sage Creek Colony (48.9288, -110.9722); 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.