community in Wyoming
Honey bee forage in Ralston, Wyoming
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Wyoming. Against other Wyoming sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ralston?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ralston, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Alfalfa: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Ralston
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Alfalfa; Barley.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.18 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi N.
How Ralston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 48th | 75th | 80th |
| Wyoming | 97th | 99th | 95th | 28th |
| Wyoming Basin | 99th | 100th | 98th | 39th |
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 Ralston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Powell 7 mi · Garland 12 mi · Cody 15 mi · Deaver 19 mi · Byron 20 mi · Frannie 22 mi
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 Ralston (44.7068, -108.8856); 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.