city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Westhope, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in North Dakota. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other North Dakota sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Westhope?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, canola)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Westhope, 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, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 482 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 375 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, 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 Westhope
Mostly: Soybeans; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Canola.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.89 mi N.
How Westhope ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 39th | 97th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 85th | 85th | 78th | 81st |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 86th | 75th | 76th | 82nd |
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 Westhope: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Landa 5 mi · Antler 13 mi · Maxbass 14 mi · Newburg 14 mi · Souris 15 mi · Kramer 21 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 Westhope (48.9112, -101.0177); 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.