community in Montana
Honey bee forage in West Havre, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Havre?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jun (clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Havre, 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): clover/Wildflowers, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mustard; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clover/Wildflowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clover/Wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 48 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early May – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 212 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 5 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 West Havre
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi SE.
How West Havre ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 46th | 79th | 75th |
| Montana | 85th | 94th | 78th | 30th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 54th | 91st | 50th | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around West Havre: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Herron 2 mi · Havre 2 mi · Havre North 3 mi · Beaver Creek 3 mi · Saddle Butte 4 mi · Laredo 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 West Havre (48.547, -109.731); 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.