city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Hudson, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Hudson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hudson, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra 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 1,608 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 469 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 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 Hudson
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi E.
How Hudson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 74th | 88th | 63rd |
| Michigan | 92nd | 77th | 82nd | 67th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 25th | 81st | 20th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Hudson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clayton 6 mi · Pittsford 7 mi · Addison 9 mi · Manitou Beach-Devils Lake 9 mi · Waldron 10 mi · Morenci 11 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 Hudson (41.8565, -84.3457); 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.