community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Simms, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Simms?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Simms, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Alfalfa: about 240 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 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 Simms
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi S.
How Simms ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 38th | 75th | 70th |
| Montana | 72nd | 88th | 69th | 22nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 43rd | 83rd | 43rd | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Simms: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Shaw 6 mi · Cascade Colony 7 mi · Fairfield 9 mi · Sun River 11 mi · Fair Haven Colony 16 mi · Milford Colony 16 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 Simms (47.4925, -111.9536); 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.