city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Thompson Falls, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Thompson Falls?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Thompson Falls, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, willows; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows; 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
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Oct (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 Thompson Falls
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.49 mi S; open water 0.49 mi S.
How Thompson Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 62nd | 83rd | 71st |
| Montana | 96th | 99th | 88th | 22nd |
| Northern Rockies | 76th | 85th | 53rd | 79th |
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 Thompson Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Belknap 5 mi · Haugan 15 mi · Saltese 15 mi · De Borgia 16 mi · Weeksville 16 mi · Trout Creek 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 Thompson Falls (47.5993, -115.3425); 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.