city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Ludington, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: cherries (nearest 2.3 mi S); alfalfa (nearest 3.0 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.3 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ludington?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ludington, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March 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
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Cherries: about 199 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms early May – late May
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 Ludington
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.57 mi SW; open water 0.59 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 89% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 84% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Ludington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 55th | 69th | 78th |
| Michigan | 27th | 32nd | 41st | 88th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 2nd | 46th | 7th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Ludington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Scottville 8 mi · Custer 11 mi · Pentwater 12 mi · Fountain 14 mi · Free Soil 15 mi · Hart 18 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 Ludington (43.9572, -86.4429); 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.