community in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Blacktail, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 30% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (64th percentile) and lowest in fall (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blacktail?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blacktail, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, peas; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), lentils, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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
- Canola: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – 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 Blacktail
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Durum Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi E; open water 0.02 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Blacktail ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 30th | 88th | 72nd |
| North Dakota | 30th | 64th | 34th | 3rd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 67th | 63rd | 71st | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Blacktail: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grenora 16 mi · Alamo 16 mi · Williston 17 mi · Springbrook 18 mi · Epping 20 mi · Trenton 25 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 Blacktail (48.4321, -103.7397); 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.