community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Rapid River, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rapid River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rapid River, 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 27.
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), dandelion; 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 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late 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 Rapid River
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian Jack Pine-Red Pine Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi E.
How Rapid River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 61st | 69th | 66th |
| Michigan | 29th | 44th | 41st | 71st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 50th | 34th | 69th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Rapid River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gladstone 6 mi · Rock 13 mi · Escanaba 14 mi · Garden 23 mi · Chatham 29 mi · Powers 31 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 Rapid River (45.9264, -86.9743); 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.