community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Sun Prairie, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sun Prairie?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (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 Sun Prairie, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Canola: about 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Sun Prairie
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi N.
How Sun Prairie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 41st | 72nd | 74th |
| Montana | 69th | 91st | 63rd | 29th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 41st | 86th | 37th | 35th |
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 Sun Prairie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Vaughn 4 mi · Ulm 8 mi · Great Falls 9 mi · Black Eagle 11 mi · Sun River 11 mi · Fair Haven Colony 11 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 Sun Prairie (47.5346, -111.4884); 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.