city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Bismarck, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bismarck?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bismarck, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, black locust; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra 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
- Corn: about 30 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 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 Bismarck
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.58 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 1.42 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 98% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bismarck ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 63rd | 78th | 90th |
| North Dakota | 28th | 99th | 18th | 18th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 65th | 99th | 48th | 66th |
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 Bismarck: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lincoln 5 mi · Mandan 6 mi · Apple Valley 8 mi · Menoken 11 mi · Harmon 13 mi · Wilton 24 mi
All towns in North Dakota · National map · How the scoring works
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 Bismarck (46.8146, -100.7686); 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.