city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Stephenson, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W); soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Stephenson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stephenson, 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 22.
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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 575 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Stephenson
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi SE.
How Stephenson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 58th | 80th | 82nd |
| Michigan | 60th | 40th | 67th | 91st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 93rd | 30th | 97th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Stephenson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Daggett 3 mi · Carney 13 mi · Powers 19 mi · Menominee 20 mi · Hermansville 20 mi · Norway 30 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 Stephenson (45.4137, -87.6091); 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.