village in Michigan

Honey bee forage in Akron, Michigan

Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Akron?

  • First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
  • Season ends: Sep 30
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Akron, 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans; water white
  • Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, cucumbers, clovers: white, alsike and red; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dry Beans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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 4,785 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 800 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
  • Dry beans: about 93 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Akron

Mostly: Corn; Dry Beans; Soybeans.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; open water 0.38 mi S.

How Akron ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US93rd30th94th96th
Michigan97th8th96th97th
Huron/Erie Lake Plains63rd42nd58th89th

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 Akron: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Fairgrove 3 mi · Unionville 6 mi · Caro 8 mi · Reese 12 mi · Sebewaing 12 mi · Vassar 14 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 Akron (43.5667, -83.5143); 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.