city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Rolette, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Rolette?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rolette, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, 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 Rolette
Mostly: Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.58 mi S.
How Rolette ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 42nd | 93rd | 97th |
| North Dakota | 61st | 88th | 57th | 50th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 44th | 78th | 35th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Rolette: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shell Valley 10 mi · Mylo 10 mi · Wolford 13 mi · Belcourt 13 mi · Green Acres 14 mi · Overly 14 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 Rolette (48.6609, -99.8417); 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.