city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Cadillac, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cadillac?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cadillac, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 Cadillac
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.03 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi S.
How Cadillac ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 49th | 62nd | 69th |
| Michigan | 14th | 26th | 22nd | 76th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 26th | 17th | 38th | 91st |
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 Cadillac: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Haring 3 mi · Wedgewood 5 mi · Boon 9 mi · Jennings 9 mi · Tustin 10 mi · McBain 11 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 Cadillac (44.2459, -85.4311); 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.