city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Minot, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Minot?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 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 Minot, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 109 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – 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 Minot
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Minot ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 62nd | 82nd | 93rd |
| North Dakota | 33rd | 98th | 23rd | 24th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 5th | 96th | 3rd | 44th |
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 Minot: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burlington 6 mi · Surrey 7 mi · Logan 7 mi · Ruthville 9 mi · Minot AFB 13 mi · Des Lacs 13 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 Minot (48.2361, -101.2775); 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.