community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Springdale Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Springdale Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (canola, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Springdale Colony, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, canola, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): canola, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; 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 91 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 260 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 256 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 180 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Springdale Colony
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi N.
How Springdale Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 28th | 86th | 97th |
| Montana | 95th | 63rd | 96th | 90th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 93rd | 46th | 93rd | 93rd |
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 Springdale Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
White Sulphur Springs 8 mi · Townsend 26 mi · The Silos 27 mi · Toston 29 mi · Winston 31 mi · Martinsdale 34 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 Springdale Colony (46.4618, -111.0191); 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.