community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Laurel Lake, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Laurel Lake?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Laurel Lake, 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 22.
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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 231 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Laurel Lake
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.41 mi N.
How Laurel Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 87th | 55th | 58th |
| New Jersey | 56th | 80th | 38th | 52nd |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 55th | 83rd | 33rd | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Laurel Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mauricetown 3 mi · Port Elizabeth 3 mi · Port Norris 4 mi · Millville 5 mi · Dorchester 5 mi · Leesburg 5 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 Laurel Lake (39.3263, -75.0306); 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.