community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Wilsall, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (82nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SE); canola (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wilsall?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, arrowleaf balsamroot)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wilsall, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; 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 224 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 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 Wilsall
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi N.
How Wilsall ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 34th | 83rd | 98th |
| Montana | 93rd | 82nd | 89th | 94th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 91st | 73rd | 89th | 96th |
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 Wilsall: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clyde Park 7 mi · Sedan 11 mi · Bridger 17 mi · Springhill 21 mi · Livingston 23 mi · Wineglass 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 Wilsall (45.9843, -110.6604); 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.