city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Shelby, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelby?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelby, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; 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
- Peas: about 187 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early May – 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 Shelby
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.47 mi S.
How Shelby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 45th | 68th | 84th |
| Montana | 71st | 94th | 56th | 50th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 42nd | 90th | 31st | 53rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Shelby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Camrose Colony 17 mi · Kevin 17 mi · Horizon Colony 22 mi · Valier 22 mi · Conrad 23 mi · Cut Bank 23 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 Shelby (48.5021, -111.862); 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.