community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Watersmeet, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it ranks highest in spring (41st percentile) and lowest in summer (18th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Watersmeet?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Watersmeet, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Watersmeet
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Boreal-Laurentian Conifer Acidic Swamp and Treed Poor Fen.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi N.
How Watersmeet ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 59th | 60th | 26th |
| Michigan | 14th | 41st | 18th | 19th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 26th | 31st | 31st | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Watersmeet: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ewen 17 mi · Bruce Crossing 17 mi · Marenisco 25 mi · Bergland 27 mi · Lake Gogebic 27 mi · Iron River 31 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 Watersmeet (46.2953, -89.2061); 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.