village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Colon, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Colon?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Colon, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 3,870 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,244 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Colon
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NW.
How Colon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 73rd | 86th | 56th |
| Michigan | 82nd | 76th | 77th | 56th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 60th | 83rd | 45th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Colon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sherwood 5 mi · Mendon 8 mi · Burr Oak 8 mi · Bronson 9 mi · Athens 10 mi · Centreville 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 Colon (41.9627, -85.3194); 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.