city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Souris, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Souris?
- First forage: May 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Souris, 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 23.
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, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, soybeans, sunflower; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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), sunflower; 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 1,170 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 166 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Souris
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Soybeans; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.47 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 35% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Souris ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 22nd | 100th | 98th |
| North Dakota | 90th | 46th | 89th | 69th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 90th | 45th | 90th | 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 Souris: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Landa 10 mi · Bottineau 12 mi · Kramer 15 mi · Westhope 15 mi · Gardena 17 mi · Newburg 17 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 Souris (48.91, -100.6826); 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.