community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Pon-she-wa-ing, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (55th percentile) and lowest in summer (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 3.3 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pon-she-wa-ing?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pon-she-wa-ing, 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 23.
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): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Pon-she-wa-ing
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi S; open water 0.07 mi S.
How Pon-she-wa-ing ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 32nd | 51st | 52nd | 55th |
| Michigan | 10th | 28th | 10th | 55th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 18th | 19th | 18th | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Pon-she-wa-ing: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oden 1 mi · Alanson 2 mi · Conway 3 mi · Brutus 5 mi · Bay View 6 mi · Harbor Springs 9 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 Pon-she-wa-ing (45.4208, -84.8058); 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.