city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Ionia, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ionia?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ionia, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 137 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 166 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, 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 Ionia
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.13 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ionia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 68th | 82nd | 76th |
| Michigan | 71st | 63rd | 69th | 85th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 35th | 74th | 31st | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Ionia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lyons 7 mi · Muir 7 mi · Saranac 8 mi · Palo 10 mi · Belding 12 mi · Portland 12 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 Ionia (42.9768, -85.0746); 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.