city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Belle Fourche, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belle Fourche?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belle Fourche, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, 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
- Alfalfa: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – 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 Belle Fourche
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Belle Fourche ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 59th | 74th | 89th |
| South Dakota | 50th | 97th | 43rd | 64th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 87th | 99th | 78th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Belle Fourche: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fruitdale 8 mi · St. Onge 11 mi · North Spearfish 11 mi · Spearfish 12 mi · Mountain Plains 14 mi · Nisland 15 mi
All towns in South 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 Belle Fourche (44.6638, -103.8591); 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.