community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Middletown, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (75th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E); corn (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Middletown?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Middletown, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 3,875 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late 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 Middletown
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE; open water 0.12 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Middletown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 73rd | 87th | 80th |
| Michigan | 87th | 75th | 78th | 90th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 73rd | 83rd | 47th | 91st |
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 Middletown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Corunna 1 mi · Owosso 2 mi · Vernon 6 mi · Henderson 7 mi · Bancroft 9 mi · Durand 9 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 Middletown (42.9867, -84.143); 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.