borough in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Helmetta, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Helmetta?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Helmetta, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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), garden flowers; 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 196 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, 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 Helmetta
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N; open water 0.08 mi N.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024); 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 Helmetta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 83rd | 63rd | 61st |
| New Jersey | 59th | 72nd | 51st | 62nd |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 57th | 75th | 47th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Helmetta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spotswood 2 mi · Jamesburg 2 mi · Forsgate 3 mi · Whittingham 4 mi · Rossmoor 4 mi · Regency at Monroe 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 Helmetta (40.3784, -74.4234); 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.