community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in summer (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hancocks Bridge?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hancocks Bridge, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 293 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, 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 Hancocks Bridge
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Open Water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SW; open water 0.11 mi W.
How Hancocks Bridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 52nd | 85th | 49th |
| New Jersey | 72nd | 12th | 94th | 19th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 63rd | 6th | 87th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Hancocks Bridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Quinton 4 mi · Salem 4 mi · Alloway 7 mi · Marlboro 7 mi · Arrowhead Lake 8 mi · Roadstown 9 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 Hancocks Bridge (39.5053, -75.4593); 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.