city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in East Tawas, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Tawas?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Tawas, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – 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 East Tawas
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi N.
How East Tawas ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 61st | 66th | 70th |
| Michigan | 26th | 46th | 31st | 77th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 45th | 36th | 52nd | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 East Tawas: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tawas City 3 mi · Sand Lake 9 mi · Au Sable 11 mi · Oscoda 12 mi · Whittemore 16 mi · Turner 18 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 East Tawas (44.2908, -83.4838); 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.