community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Fostoria, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fostoria?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fostoria, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans, alfalfa; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 956 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Fostoria
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi E.
How Fostoria ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 65th | 88th | 83rd |
| Michigan | 89th | 56th | 81st | 92nd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 76th | 69th | 54th | 94th |
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 Fostoria: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Millers Lake 5 mi · Otter Lake 6 mi · Barnes Lake 6 mi · Mayville 6 mi · Columbiaville 7 mi · Millington 8 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 Fostoria (43.2531, -83.3618); 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.