city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Houghton, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Houghton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Houghton, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Houghton
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.77 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Houghton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 59th | 73rd | 71st |
| Michigan | 36th | 41st | 53rd | 78th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 60th | 31st | 83rd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Houghton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hurontown 0 mi · Dodgeville 2 mi · Hancock 2 mi · Atlantic Mine 3 mi · Dollar Bay 3 mi · South Range 5 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 Houghton (47.1118, -88.5672); 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.