city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Grayling, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (79th percentile) and lowest in spring and summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.8 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Grayling?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grayling, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 67 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Grayling
Mostly: Laurentian Jack Pine-Red Pine Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Grayling ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 56th | 68th | 71st |
| Michigan | 24th | 36th | 36th | 79th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 42nd | 27th | 62nd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Grayling: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bear Lake 12 mi · Roscommon 13 mi · Manistee Lake 17 mi · Lakes of the North 21 mi · Kalkaska 24 mi · Mancelona 24 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 Grayling (44.658, -84.7111); 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.