city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Lignite, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lignite?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lignite, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, soybeans; white, 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 405 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, 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 Lignite
Mostly: Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.43 mi E; pond, lake or river 1.46 mi E.
How Lignite ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 32nd | 99th | 79th |
| North Dakota | 85th | 70th | 86th | 6th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 87th | 64th | 88th | 21st |
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 Lignite: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Flaxton 8 mi · Portal 8 mi · Columbus 10 mi · Larson 14 mi · Bowbells 15 mi · Noonan 20 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 Lignite (48.8772, -102.5644); 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.