city in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Ocean City, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 3% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it ranks highest in fall (18th percentile) and lowest in summer (2nd). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Ocean City?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ocean City, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Ocean City
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.04 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ocean City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 17th | 46th | 31st | 48th |
| New Jersey | 3rd | 8th | 2nd | 18th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 3rd | 10th | 3rd | 16th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Ocean City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Beesleys Point 2 mi · Marmora 3 mi · Somers Point 3 mi · Longport 5 mi · Palermo 5 mi · Linwood 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 Ocean City (39.2695, -74.5997); 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.