community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Grand Marais, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (52nd percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Grand Marais?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grand Marais, 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 31.
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): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 trees (locust, linden); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Grand Marais
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Grand Marais ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 20th | 35th | 36th | 52nd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 35th | 26th | 62nd | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Grand Marais: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newberry 31 mi · Munising 35 mi · Naubinway 47 mi · Chatham 51 mi · Manistique 51 mi · Harvey 67 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 Grand Marais (46.6757, -85.9664); 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.