community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Fortescue, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fortescue?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fortescue, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Fortescue
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E.
How Fortescue ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 33rd | 55th | 41st | 73rd |
| New Jersey | 15th | 15th | 20th | 95th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 5th | 7th | 45th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Fortescue: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newport 4 mi · Gandys Beach 4 mi · Dividing Creek 4 mi · Money Island 5 mi · Port Norris 7 mi · Cedarville 7 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 Fortescue (39.237, -75.1705); 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.