city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Bad Axe, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bad Axe?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bad Axe, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans, soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 2,717 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 134 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 164 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms early 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 Bad Axe
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Corn; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.41 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bad Axe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 61st | 86th | 97th |
| Michigan | 81st | 45th | 76th | 97th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 34th | 78th | 25th | 89th |
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 Bad Axe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ubly 7 mi · Elkton 9 mi · Kinde 9 mi · Pigeon 14 mi · Minden City 14 mi · Owendale 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 Bad Axe (43.8049, -82.9983); 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.