city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Montague, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi NW); corn (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Montague?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Montague, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, 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
- Alfalfa: about 174 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,026 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NW, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 279 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 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 Montague
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SW; open water 0.26 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 62% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Montague ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 70th | 77th | 79th |
| Michigan | 61st | 69th | 61st | 89th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 19th | 78th | 17th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Montague: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whitehall 1 mi · Lakewood Club 6 mi · Rothbury 7 mi · Twin Lake 10 mi · New Era 10 mi · North Muskegon 12 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 Montague (43.4126, -86.3631); 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.