city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in St. Thomas, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Thomas?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (dry Beans, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Thomas, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, canola; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola; water white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dry Beans, soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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
- Dry beans: about 201 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 351 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, 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 St. Thomas
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Dry Beans; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.51 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 59% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How St. Thomas ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 37th | 85th | 100th |
| North Dakota | 34th | 82nd | 27th | 92nd |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 15th | 81st | 8th | 89th |
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 St. Thomas: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Auburn 8 mi · Crystal 10 mi · Nash 10 mi · Hoople 10 mi · Canton City (Hensel) 11 mi · Drayton 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 St. Thomas (48.6192, -97.4471); 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.