community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Belford, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: pumpkins (nearest 1.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belford?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belford, 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 Apr 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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
- Pumpkins: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Oct (grown 1 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 Belford
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Pumpkins: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Belford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 71st | 63rd | 69th |
| New Jersey | 45th | 43rd | 51st | 89th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 44th | 49th | 48th | 77th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Belford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Leonardo 1 mi · Port Monmouth 1 mi · North Middletown 2 mi · Navesink 3 mi · Atlantic Highlands 3 mi · Fairview 4 mi
All towns in New Jersey · 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 Belford (40.4279, -74.0787); 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.