community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Layton, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it ranks highest in spring (48th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E); sunflower (nearest 1.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Layton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Layton, 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 May 7.
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, summer-flowering shrubs, soybeans, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Layton
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi W.
How Layton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 73rd | 58th | 54th |
| New Jersey | 38th | 48th | 42nd | 32nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 49th | 43rd | 72nd | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Layton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Branchville 6 mi · Crandon Lakes 7 mi · Ross Corner 8 mi · Sussex 11 mi · Newton 12 mi · Hamburg 14 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 Layton (41.2185, -74.8235); 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.