community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Nessen City, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 43% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi E); corn (nearest 2.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 2.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Nessen City?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nessen City, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 85 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 61 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Nessen City
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi W.
How Nessen City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 82nd | 64th | 39th |
| Michigan | 43rd | 92nd | 27th | 33rd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 70th | 91st | 46th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Nessen City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Thompsonville 3 mi · Copemish 4 mi · Crystal Mountain 6 mi · Bendon 8 mi · Buckley 10 mi · Interlochen 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 Nessen City (44.5206, -85.8707); 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.