village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Detroit, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (58th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Detroit?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Detroit, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March 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
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 3,877 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,261 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Detroit
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi N; open water 0.15 mi N.
How Detroit ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 43rd | 92nd | 25th |
| Illinois | 36th | 55th | 39th | 58th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 50th | 29th | 60th | 52nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Detroit: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Florence 3 mi · Milton 4 mi · Valley City 6 mi · Griggsville 7 mi · Pittsfield 7 mi · Oxville 9 mi
All towns in Illinois · 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 Detroit (39.6202, -90.6759); 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.