community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Zeba, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (62nd percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.16 mi NE.
When is the honey flow in Zeba?
- 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))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zeba, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 Zeba
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.39 mi SE.
How Zeba ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 68th | 73rd | 49th |
| Michigan | 39th | 62nd | 50th | 46th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 64th | 52nd | 80th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Zeba: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
L'Anse 3 mi · Baraga 4 mi · Pelkie 11 mi · Skanee 12 mi · Chassell 18 mi · Covington 18 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 Zeba (46.7877, -88.4118); 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.