city in Montana
Honey bee forage in White Sulphur Springs, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in White Sulphur Springs?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of White Sulphur Springs, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 464 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (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 White Sulphur Springs
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi SW.
How White Sulphur Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 42nd | 85th | 99th |
| Montana | 97th | 92nd | 95th | 97th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 94th | 93rd | 92nd | 98th |
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 White Sulphur Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springdale Colony 8 mi · Neihart 28 mi · Martinsdale 29 mi · Martinsdale Colony 31 mi · Townsend 33 mi · The Silos 34 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 White Sulphur Springs (46.5453, -110.9039); 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.