city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Onaway, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Onaway?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (clover/Wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Onaway, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clover/Wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clover/Wildflowers, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clover/Wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Clover and wildflowers: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Onaway
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.4 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.44 mi E.
How Onaway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 69th | 86th | 100th |
| Michigan | 94th | 67th | 77th | 99th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 100th | 57th | 99th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Onaway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tower 3 mi · Millersburg 8 mi · Canada Creek Ranch 13 mi · Wolverine 19 mi · Indian River 20 mi · Rogers City 21 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 Onaway (45.3585, -84.2272); 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.