community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Scotts, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Scotts?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Scotts, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 3,572 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 346 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Scotts
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi N.
How Scotts ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 53rd | 87th | 44th |
| Michigan | 70th | 31st | 79th | 39th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 33rd | 44th | 48th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Scotts: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Climax 5 mi · Galesburg 7 mi · Vicksburg 8 mi · Portage 9 mi · Eastwood 10 mi · Comstock Northwest 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 Scotts (42.1941, -85.4137); 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.