city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Eaton Rapids, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (75th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eaton Rapids?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eaton Rapids, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 899 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 48 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 1 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 Eaton Rapids
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi NW; open water 0.1 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 73% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Eaton Rapids ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 79th | 85th | 73rd |
| Michigan | 85th | 87th | 75th | 82nd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 69th | 91st | 41st | 81st |
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 Eaton Rapids: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springport 9 mi · Potterville 10 mi · Dimondale 10 mi · Charlotte 10 mi · Holt 11 mi · Mason 12 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 Eaton Rapids (42.5097, -84.6519); 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.