city in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Cape May, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 23% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in fall (54th percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cape May?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cape May, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Soybeans: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Cape May
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.27 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 66% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cape May ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 63rd | 49th | 59th |
| New Jersey | 23rd | 25th | 31st | 54th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 24th | 31st | 28th | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Cape May: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Cape May 2 mi · Diamond Beach 3 mi · Cape May Point 4 mi · Erma 4 mi · Wildwood Crest 4 mi · North Cape May 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 Cape May (38.9411, -74.8984); 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.