city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Richmond, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer and fall (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Richmond?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Richmond, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 542 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Richmond
Mostly: Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.49 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.57 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 66% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Richmond ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 66th | 88th | 72nd |
| Michigan | 88th | 58th | 81st | 81st |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 44th | 84th | 32nd | 66th |
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 Richmond: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Memphis 6 mi · New Haven 6 mi · Armada 7 mi · New Baltimore 9 mi · Emmett 13 mi · Romeo 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 Richmond (42.8106, -82.7522); 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.