community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Atlanta, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (64th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Atlanta?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Atlanta, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Alfalfa: about 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Atlanta
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE.
How Atlanta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 59th | 63rd | 61st |
| Michigan | 19th | 40th | 24th | 64th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 33rd | 31st | 41st | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Atlanta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewiston 11 mi · Canada Creek Ranch 12 mi · Hillman 13 mi · Millersburg 23 mi · Mio 24 mi · Onaway 25 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 Atlanta (45.0042, -84.1548); 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.