village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Morley, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (71st percentile) and lowest in spring (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SE); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Morley?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Morley, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Morley
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi SW.
How Morley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 64th | 76th | 66th |
| Michigan | 47th | 52nd | 59th | 71st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 76th | 42nd | 92nd | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Morley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stanwood 6 mi · Howard City 7 mi · Canadian Lakes 9 mi · Lakeview 10 mi · Pierson 12 mi · Trufant 13 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 Morley (43.4904, -85.4455); 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.