village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Climax, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Climax?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Climax, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 2,145 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 694 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 Climax
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.88 mi S.
How Climax ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 46th | 91st | 44th |
| Michigan | 84th | 23rd | 87th | 40th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 65th | 33rd | 69th | 28th |
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 Climax: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Scotts 5 mi · Galesburg 6 mi · Battle Creek 7 mi · Augusta 7 mi · Springfield 8 mi · Level Park-Oak Park 10 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 Climax (42.2383, -85.336); 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.