city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Whitefish, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Whitefish?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Whitefish, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, kinnikinnick; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, huckleberries; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Nov (grown 3 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 Whitefish
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SW; open water 0.12 mi SW.
How Whitefish ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 42nd | 78th | 82nd |
| Montana | 82nd | 91st | 76th | 44th |
| Northern Rockies | 35th | 39th | 9th | 89th |
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 Whitefish: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Columbia Falls 9 mi · Helena Flats 12 mi · Rhodes 12 mi · Olney 13 mi · Hungry Horse 14 mi · Coram 14 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 Whitefish (48.438, -114.348); 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.