city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Pleasant?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mount Pleasant, 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, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 1,947 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, 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 Mount Pleasant
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Soybeans; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.46 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 93% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mount Pleasant ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 65th | 81st | 81st |
| Michigan | 67th | 55th | 68th | 90th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 27th | 68th | 28th | 92nd |
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 Mount Pleasant: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shepherd 7 mi · Rosebush 7 mi · Beal City 8 mi · Winn 8 mi · Lake Isabella 12 mi · Weidman 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 Mount Pleasant (43.5967, -84.776); 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.