community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Chassell, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 30% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (58th percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chassell?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chassell, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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
- Peas: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Chassell
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SW; open water 0.38 mi NW.
How Chassell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 64th | 69th | 57th |
| Michigan | 30th | 53rd | 40th | 58th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 52nd | 42nd | 67th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Chassell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dodgeville 4 mi · Hurontown 5 mi · Houghton 6 mi · South Range 6 mi · Trimountain 6 mi · Dollar Bay 6 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 Chassell (47.0361, -88.5307); 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.