community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Santa Rita, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (63rd percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Santa Rita?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (lentils)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Santa Rita, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): lentils, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): lentils, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas, 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
- Lentils: about 263 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 104 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early 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 Santa Rita
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat; Barley.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.66 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 51% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Santa Rita ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 35th | 18th | 72nd | 65th |
| Montana | 51st | 27th | 63rd | 16th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 27th | 25th | 38th | 22nd |
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 Santa Rita: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Horizon Colony 4 mi · Cut Bank 4 mi · Little Browning 5 mi · Glacier Colony 10 mi · Zenith Colony 12 mi · Seville Colony 13 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 Santa Rita (48.6985, -112.3188); 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.