city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Adrian, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Adrian?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Adrian, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 479 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Jun – 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 Adrian
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.54 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 98% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Adrian ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 79th | 80th | 78th |
| Michigan | 76th | 88th | 67th | 87th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 7th | 86th | 9th | 100th |
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 Adrian: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jasper 8 mi · Tecumseh 9 mi · Clayton 10 mi · Onsted 10 mi · Blissfield 11 mi · Clinton 12 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 Adrian (41.8988, -84.0448); 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.