city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Ray, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (63rd percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ray?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ray, 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, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, sunflower, soybeans, lentils; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, sunflower; 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 747 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Ray
Mostly: Durum Wheat; Lentils; Canola.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Ray ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 29th | 92nd | 80th |
| North Dakota | 45th | 63rd | 52nd | 6th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 81st | 61st | 82nd | 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 Ray: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Epping 9 mi · Tioga 11 mi · Springbrook 14 mi · Long Creek 17 mi · White Earth 19 mi · Wildrose 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 Ray (48.3354, -103.1733); 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.