city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Mellen, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.5 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Mellen?
- 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 trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mellen, 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 25.
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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, dandelion; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late May – late Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 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 Mellen
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Mesic Balsam Fir-Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi S.
How Mellen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 78th | 74th | 57th |
| Wisconsin | 55th | 90th | 41st | 38th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 90th | 80th | 87th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Mellen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jolmaville 9 mi · Marengo 10 mi · Glidden 14 mi · Birch Hill 14 mi · Franks Field 16 mi · Clam Lake 17 mi
All towns in Wisconsin · 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 Mellen (46.324, -90.6605); 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.