village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Luther, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi S); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Luther?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Luther, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; 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
- Corn: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Luther
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi SW.
How Luther ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 65th | 72nd | 63rd |
| Michigan | 36th | 54th | 47th | 68th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 61st | 44th | 76th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Luther: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Le Roy 11 mi · Tustin 12 mi · Baldwin 13 mi · Wedgewood 14 mi · Reed City 14 mi · Caberfae 15 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 Luther (44.0388, -85.683); 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.