community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it ranks highest in fall (49th percentile) and lowest in summer (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.7 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Port Elizabeth?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Port Elizabeth, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Soybeans: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi W, blooms early Jun – early 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 Port Elizabeth
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Hardwood Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W.
How Port Elizabeth ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 62nd | 40th | 58th |
| New Jersey | 18th | 24th | 19th | 49th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 7th | 12th | 45th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Port Elizabeth: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mauricetown 2 mi · Dorchester 3 mi · Leesburg 3 mi · Laurel Lake 3 mi · Cumberland-Hesstown 5 mi · Port Norris 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 Port Elizabeth (39.3099, -74.9714); 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.