city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Clare, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clare?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clare, 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 16.
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): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; 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 254 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 214 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, 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 Clare
Mostly: Alfalfa; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi N.
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 Clare ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 68th | 84th | 84th |
| Michigan | 77th | 62nd | 72nd | 93rd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 47th | 73rd | 37th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Clare: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Farwell 5 mi · Loomis 6 mi · Rosebush 8 mi · Coleman 10 mi · Harrison 13 mi · Beal City 13 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 Clare (43.826, -84.7618); 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.