community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Turtle Lake, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Turtle Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (snowberry, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Turtle Lake, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, dandelion, willows; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, canola; 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 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 184 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 Turtle Lake
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.09 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W.
How Turtle Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 61st | 87th | 81st |
| Montana | 98th | 99th | 98th | 43rd |
| Northern Rockies | 93rd | 82nd | 93rd | 88th |
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 Turtle Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Polson 3 mi · Kerr 5 mi · Pablo 5 mi · Finley Point 6 mi · Jette 6 mi · Rocky Point 6 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 Turtle Lake (47.6701, -114.0857); 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.