community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Worden, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Worden?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Worden, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 544 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 824 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SW, blooms late Jul – early Sep (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 Worden
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi W.
How Worden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 37th | 72nd | 58th |
| Montana | 63rd | 87th | 63rd | 8th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 66th | 83rd | 74th | 2nd |
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 Worden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ballantine 1 mi · Nibbe 7 mi · Huntley 8 mi · Shepherd 9 mi · Pompeys Pillar 10 mi · Lockwood 15 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 Worden (45.9623, -108.1623); 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.