community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Tower, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tower?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clover/Wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tower, 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): clover/Wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clover/Wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Clover and wildflowers: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 4 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 Tower
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi N.
How Tower ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 72nd | 73rd | 83rd |
| Michigan | 56th | 73rd | 51st | 93rd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 88th | 64th | 82nd | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Tower: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Onaway 3 mi · Millersburg 11 mi · Canada Creek Ranch 13 mi · Wolverine 16 mi · Indian River 17 mi · Cheboygan 22 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 Tower (45.3518, -84.2937); 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.