city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Bay City, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bay City?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bay City, 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, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cucumbers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Soybeans: about 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Bay City
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.26 mi W; open water 0.26 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cucumbers: insecticides used on about 36% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Bay City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 51st | 70th | 77th |
| Michigan | 25th | 29th | 44th | 86th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 3rd | 69th | 7th | 71st |
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 Bay City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Essexville 3 mi · Zilwaukee 8 mi · Robin Glen-Indiantown 9 mi · Auburn 9 mi · Buena Vista 12 mi · Saginaw 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 Bay City (43.5901, -83.8884); 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.