city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Rolla, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rolla?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rolla, 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 27.
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): canola, soybeans; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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 96 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,313 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, 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 Rolla
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Soybeans; Canola.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; open water 0.07 mi E.
How Rolla ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 25th | 97th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 82nd | 53rd | 81st | 69th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 84th | 50th | 80th | 72nd |
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 Rolla: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Green Acres 4 mi · Belcourt 6 mi · St. John 8 mi · Shell Valley 10 mi · Perth 11 mi · Hansboro 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 Rolla (48.8436, -99.6094); 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.