village in Michigan

Honey bee forage in Addison, Michigan

Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi N); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Addison?

  • First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
  • Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
  • Season ends: Sep 30
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Addison, 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 9.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
  • Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, buckwheat; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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

  • Soybeans: about 285 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
  • Alfalfa: about 235 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Addison

Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Open water; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.1 mi NE.

How Addison ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US90th66th90th59th
Michigan93rd57th85th60th
Eastern Corn Belt Plains27th74th25th93rd

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 43% 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 Addison: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Manitou Beach-Devils Lake 4 mi · Cement City 6 mi · Lake LeAnn 7 mi · Onsted 8 mi · Hudson 9 mi · North Adams 9 mi

All towns in Michigan · 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 Addison (41.9859, -84.3491); 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.