city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Scobey, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Scobey?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (lentils, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Scobey, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): lentils, alfalfa, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, lentils, alfalfa; extra light amber, 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 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 197 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms late May – 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 Scobey
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Peas.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Scobey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 35th | 78th | 75th |
| Montana | 78th | 84th | 77th | 30th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 47th | 77th | 49th | 37th |
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 Scobey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Flaxville 11 mi · Whitetail 14 mi · Peerless 19 mi · Redstone 22 mi · Outlook 30 mi · Plentywood 39 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 Scobey (48.7904, -105.4206); 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.