community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Hickory Corners, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (83rd percentile) and lowest in spring (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hickory Corners?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hickory Corners, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 1,193 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 156 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 189 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Hickory Corners
Mostly: Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.7 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.72 mi N.
How Hickory Corners ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 32nd | 89th | 41st |
| Michigan | 68th | 9th | 83rd | 36th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 29th | 14th | 58th | 23rd |
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 Hickory Corners: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Gull Lake 3 mi · Delton 4 mi · Richland 6 mi · Augusta 7 mi · Level Park-Oak Park 7 mi · Galesburg 10 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 Hickory Corners (42.4344, -85.3859); 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.