village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Lake Isabella, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in spring and summer (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Isabella?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Isabella, 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 16.
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, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 205 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 196 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Lake Isabella
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi E; open water 0.07 mi E.
How Lake Isabella ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 64th | 73rd | 69th |
| Michigan | 42nd | 53rd | 53rd | 75th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 69th | 42nd | 84th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Lake Isabella: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Weidman 4 mi · Beal City 5 mi · Winn 10 mi · Barryton 10 mi · Mecosta 11 mi · Mount Pleasant 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 Lake Isabella (43.6441, -85.0048); 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.