community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Surprise Creek Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 3.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Surprise Creek Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Surprise Creek 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, native wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Alfalfa: about 346 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Surprise Creek Colony
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi NE.
How Surprise Creek Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 21st | 77th | 93rd |
| Montana | 74th | 35th | 74th | 78th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 77th | 18th | 81st | 74th |
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 Surprise Creek Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stanford 6 mi · Geyser 10 mi · Windham 11 mi · Coffee Creek 17 mi · Utica 18 mi · Raynesford 20 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 Surprise Creek Colony (47.1705, -110.3396); 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.