community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Millers Lake, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Millers Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Millers Lake, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Soybeans: about 336 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, 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 Millers Lake
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi N.
How Millers Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 69th | 74th | 68th |
| Michigan | 51st | 66th | 56th | 75th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 10th | 76th | 12th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Millers Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barnes Lake 1 mi · Columbiaville 4 mi · Fostoria 5 mi · Otter Lake 7 mi · North Branch 7 mi · Lapeer 10 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 Millers Lake (43.1845, -83.3262); 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.