village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Michiana, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Michiana?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Michiana, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 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 Michiana
Mostly: Open water; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Michiana ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 91st | 73rd | 70th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 98th | 50th | 76th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 38th | 99th | 9th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Michiana: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grand Beach 1 mi · New Buffalo 4 mi · Three Oaks 10 mi · Shorewood-Tower Hills-Harbert 13 mi · New Troy 16 mi · Galien 16 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 Michiana (41.7637, -86.8111); 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.