community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Gwinn, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (64th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.14 mi N.
When is the honey flow in Gwinn?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gwinn, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, 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): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 Gwinn
Mostly: Laurentian Jack Pine-Red Pine Forest; Boreal-Laurentian Conifer Acidic Swamp and Treed Poor Fen; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE.
How Gwinn ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 50th | 67th | 62nd |
| Michigan | 17th | 28th | 33rd | 64th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 30th | 18th | 56th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Gwinn: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
K. I. Sawyer 5 mi · Palmer 13 mi · Harvey 14 mi · Negaunee 16 mi · Ishpeming 17 mi · Marquette 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 Gwinn (46.2854, -87.4419); 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.