community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Conway, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Conway?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Conway, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 shrubs, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa; 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, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Alfalfa: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jul – 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 Conway
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW.
How Conway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 59th | 68th | 70th |
| Michigan | 27th | 42nd | 36th | 77th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 46th | 32nd | 62nd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Conway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oden 2 mi · Bay View 3 mi · Pon-she-wa-ing 3 mi · Alanson 5 mi · Harbor Springs 6 mi · Brutus 7 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 Conway (45.4091, -84.8709); 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.