community in Montana
Honey bee forage in West Kootenai, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Kootenai?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, dandelion, kinnikinnick)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (snowberry, willows)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Kootenai, 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): willows, snowberry, kinnikinnick, native wildflowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, willows, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Oct (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 West Kootenai
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Open water; Unmapped.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi N.
How West Kootenai ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 59th | 81st | 57th |
| Montana | 93rd | 99th | 85th | 7th |
| Northern Rockies | 63rd | 77th | 42nd | 52nd |
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 West Kootenai: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rexford 5 mi · Indian Springs 8 mi · Eureka 10 mi · Fortine 20 mi · Yaak 23 mi · Trego 25 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 Kootenai (48.9632, -115.2193); 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.