community in Montana
Honey bee forage in South Browning, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (81st). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in South Browning?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 30, peaking early Aug (spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Browning, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), snowberry, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Nov (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 South Browning
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How South Browning ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 34th | 83rd | 99th |
| Montana | 94th | 81st | 88th | 97th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 65th | 73rd | 58th | 96th |
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 South Browning: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Browning 1 mi · North Browning 2 mi · Blackfoot 7 mi · Starr School 7 mi · East Glacier Park Village 12 mi · Hidden Lake Colony 19 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 South Browning (48.5458, -113.0116); 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.