community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Sunnybrook Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sunnybrook Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, arrowleaf balsamroot)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (mustard, lentils)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sunnybrook 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): mustard, peas, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), lentils; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): lentils, mustard, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): mustard, lentils, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Mustard: about 407 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 419 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – 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 Sunnybrook Colony
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Sunnybrook Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 17th | 78th | 60th |
| Montana | 65th | 25th | 75th | 10th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 37th | 22nd | 48th | 15th |
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 Sunnybrook Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riverview Colony 14 mi · Loma 18 mi · Twin Hills Colony 19 mi · Fort Benton 23 mi · Chester 27 mi · Inverness 28 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 Sunnybrook Colony (48.1573, -110.727); 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.