city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Richardton, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Richardton?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (canola, sunflower, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Richardton, 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): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): sunflower, canola, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, sunflower, alfalfa, 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
- Sunflower: about 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 92 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 Richardton
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Spring Wheat; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi NE.
How Richardton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 27th | 86th | 93rd |
| North Dakota | 26th | 59th | 29th | 23rd |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 91st | 42nd | 92nd | 69th |
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 Richardton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Taylor 4 mi · Gladstone 11 mi · Hebron 14 mi · Dickinson 22 mi · Glen Ullin 24 mi · Dodge 30 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 Richardton (46.8848, -102.3391); 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.