village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Alpha, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alpha?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alpha, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 2 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 Alpha
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi S.
How Alpha ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 78th | 74th | 54th |
| Michigan | 57th | 86th | 55th | 52nd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 89th | 82nd | 86th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Alpha: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crystal Falls 4 mi · Gaastra 11 mi · Caspian 12 mi · Iron River 13 mi · Amasa 13 mi · Kingsford 21 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 Alpha (46.044, -88.3784); 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.