city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Dickinson, 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 (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dickinson?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dickinson, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, canola; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, canola; 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
- Canola: about 74 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 64 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Dickinson
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 90% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Dickinson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 56th | 80th | 94th |
| North Dakota | 28th | 97th | 20th | 30th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 92nd | 99th | 86th | 80th |
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 Dickinson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Heart 9 mi · Gladstone 11 mi · Taylor 18 mi · Belfield 19 mi · Richardton 22 mi · Manning 23 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 Dickinson (46.8928, -102.796); 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.