city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Standish, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Standish?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Standish, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans; 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 377 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 643 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 98 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Standish
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NW.
How Standish ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 60th | 85th | 89th |
| Michigan | 76th | 42nd | 75th | 95th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 99th | 32nd | 99th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Standish: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sterling 5 mi · Omer 7 mi · Pinconning 8 mi · Twining 12 mi · Au Gres 14 mi · Turner 14 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 Standish (43.9777, -83.964); 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.