community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Money Island, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Money Island?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (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 Money Island, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, soybeans; 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), soybeans; 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), soybeans, native wildflowers; 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 271 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, 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 Money Island
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024); Watermelons: insecticides used on about 38% of surveyed US acres (2024); Cucumbers: insecticides used on about 36% 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 Money Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 26th | 41st | 50th | 70th |
| New Jersey | 11th | 3rd | 32nd | 91st |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 3rd | 2nd | 52nd | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Money Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gandys Beach 1 mi · Newport 4 mi · Cedarville 4 mi · Fortescue 5 mi · Fairton 6 mi · Centre Grove 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 Money Island (39.2876, -75.2351); 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.