borough in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Clayton, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clayton?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clayton, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 183 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Clayton
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi N.
How Clayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 89th | 63rd | 51st |
| New Jersey | 67th | 84th | 52nd | 23rd |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 66th | 87th | 48th | 20th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Clayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glassboro 3 mi · Franklinville 3 mi · Pitman 6 mi · Williamstown 6 mi · Malaga 6 mi · Victory Lakes 6 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 Clayton (39.6641, -75.0744); 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.