community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Riverdale, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Michigan. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Michigan sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Riverdale?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Riverdale, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 2,660 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,035 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (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 Riverdale
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NE.
How Riverdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 68th | 80th | 63rd |
| Michigan | 64th | 61st | 67th | 66th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 22nd | 73rd | 27th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Riverdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elm Hall 2 mi · Alma 9 mi · Crystal 10 mi · Winn 10 mi · Edmore 10 mi · McBride 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 Riverdale (43.3824, -84.8408); 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.