Tag Archives: North Carolina

Historic Bethabara Park (Winston-Salem, NC)

On Saturday, June 18, 2024, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the Historic Bethabara Park Butterfly Garden. The Bethabara Gardens are beautiful, historically significant places to explore. When the Moravians settled Bethabara in the early 1750s, one of the first things they established were the gardens. The Pollinator Garden was not planted by the Moravians, but this new garden preserves their tradition and values of respecting and understanding of the balance of nature. The entire park encompasses 183 acres of preserved wildlife, historic buildings and grounds, walking and birding trails, and protected wetlands but we will initially be exploring the garden listed above. Refer to the website below for a map and additional information.

The park address is 2147 Bethabara Road, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106 (or for those who prefer GPS coordinates, 36.15470, -80.29618). Please RSVP to Bernyce Pritchard at the email address below if you plan to participate.

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve & Sandhills Gamelands (NC)

Saturday June 1, 2024 – Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve

We will meet at the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve Visitor’s Center at 9:00 a.m. The visitor’s center address is 1024 N Fort Bragg Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387 (with GPS coordinates listed on the website as 35.1470, -79.3715). The GPS coordinates for the entrance to the visitor’s center from N Fort Bragg Road are 35.14681, -79.37183.

This location offers a pleasant walk through stands of pine forests. Pathways are packed sand. We will likely visit the Paint Hill Tract while at Weymouth Woods, and if time allows, we may make a stop at Sandhills Community College.

Sunday June 2, 2024 – Sandhills Gamelands

We will meet at the BP gas station in Hoffman, NC at 9:00 a.m. The gas station address is 2183 Caddell Road, Hoffman, NC 28347 and the GPS coordinates are 35.02646, -79.55963.

From the gas station, we will venture in to the Sandhills Gamelands to explore the various sand roads, pine stands, creeks, and lakes to see what we can turn up. Road conditions in the Sandhills Gamelands can be tricky at times. The roads are sand and are fairly solid but after wet weather can be difficult.

Target species are the King’s and Edward’s Hairstreaks. Additional species commonly seen are Palamedes, Spicebush, and Tiger Swallowtails; Common Buckeyes, Eastern Tailed Blues and Azures, and assorted duskywings.

It is recommended that you bring additional snacks, food, and beverages as during the walks we will be away from public facilities. Wearing sturdy walking or hiking shoes is recommended along with long sleeves and pants as we may go off trail in some locations to look for as many butterfly species as possible. It is also recommended you use a good bug spray, wear sunscreen, and carry water with you. Be sure to bring those items you may need (camera, binoculars, field guides, etc.) to ensure a pleasant experience.

Rob Gilson, who can be reached at the email address listed below, is the leader for these field trips. Please either contact Rob or register on the CBS website if you plan on attending.

CANCELLED – Western North Carolina – Duskywings, Elfins, Hairstreaks

Due to the forecast for rainy weather all weekend, this trip has been CANCELLED.

This full CBS 2-day field trip will be held in western North Carolina where we will visit two different locations. Our target species will be Duskywings, Elfins, Hairstreaks, Cobweb Skipper and, if we’re lucky, possibly a “late” Olympia Marble. Pete Dixon will be our leader on both days.

The first day will be spent hiking on River Road and Polecat Hollow along the French Broad River outside of Hot Springs, NC. The meeting location is Broadwing Farm, 20 Berry Wills Road, Hot Springs, NC at 10:00 am. Park in front of the “event venue” building that’s located at 165 Broadwing Farm Lane, Hot Springs, NC (GPS coordinates 35.9008, -82.8291). Use the following link https://www.broadwingfarmcabins.com/the-farm/directions/ for additional information and specific directions from nearby cities. Hiking level is easy and there are restrooms a short distance away.

The second day will be spent visiting sites in the Sandy Mush Game Lands which has a diversity of early successional and managed grassland habitats and creek bottoms. The meeting location is the parking lot on Bear Creek Road near Marshall, NC at 10:00 am. There is no specific street address, but the parking lot entrance (GPS coordinates 35.7271, -82.7010) is located about 150 feet southwest of 2717 Bear Creek Road, Marshall, NC. The following Google Maps link https://maps.app.goo.gl/crkdKUBGcAwrNuXe9/ can also be used to view the parking lot location. Hiking trails are easy but there are some hills. Restrooms are not available.

For places to stay overnight, there are several rental cabins and B&Bs in the county and nearby. Mars Hill has a Comfort Inn, and there is a Fairfield Inn in Weaverville (Buncombe County). For something unusual, the old jail in Marshall is now a boutique hotel. Hot Springs has many short-term rental properties. Mars Hill, Marshall, Hot Springs, and Weaverville each have a variety of restaurants and brewery taprooms. Weaverville is about 40 minutes from Broadwing Farm; Marshall is about 25 minutes; Mars Hill is about 35 minutes. Hot Springs is about 5 minutes away. Obviously, there are many hotels and restaurants in Asheville, which would be another 10 to 30 minutes, depending on what area of Asheville you are in. If you want to try Hot Springs, check with Mary Helen Adamson for lodging at 828-206-7010 or visit the website at https://hotspringsnc.org/.

As indicated above, Pete Dixon, who can be reached at the email address listed below, is the leader for these field trips.

Lake Brandt Marina – Falcate Orangetip (Greensboro, NC)

The first outing of the Triad Chapter this year is on April 6th. We will meet at 10:00 am at the Lake Brandt Marina parking lot for up to a half-mile hike on the Reedy Creek Fork Trail. The address of the Marina is 5945 Lake Brandt Rd, Greensboro, NC 27455. A known colony of Falcate Orangetips have been observed there in the past.

For those who would enjoy a longer day, we will continue to the Arboretum in Greensboro. The Arboretum is approximately a fifteen-minute drive from the Marina. Please pack a bag lunch and beverage and we will eat at the Arboretum. The parking lot for the Arboretum is closed so we will be parking at the W. Market Street ballfields located at 3299 Starmount Drive, Greensboro, NC.

Please notify Bernyce Pritchard by April 1st at the email address below if you are planning to attend.

Reynolda Gardens 2023 (Winston-Salem, NC)

On Saturday, September 23, 2023, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the FORMAL GARDENS area of Reynolda Gardens.

After the CBS walk through the formal gardens, attendees are welcome to stay a little longer and visit other areas of the 134-acre grounds. These other areas include two miles of scenic walking trails, wetlands, paved pathways, thick woodlands, an expansive meadow for visitors to explore and enjoy and a waterfall, located along the Reynolda Village trail. Refer to the website below for a map and additional information.

Meet at the garden entrance greenhouse at 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106 (or for those who prefer GPS coordinates, 36.12564, -80.28474). Please RSVP to Barbara Cullen at the email address below if you plan to participate.

Reynolda Gardens 2023 (Winston-Salem, NC)

On Saturday, September 23, 2023, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at Reynolda Gardens which serves as a 134-acre outdoor horticultural oasis open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk. Revive your senses as you connect with nature and immerse yourself in this peaceful landscape complete with lush, colorful gardens, two miles of scenic walking trails, wetlands, paved pathways, thick woodlands, and an expansive meadow for visitors to explore and enjoy. There is also a waterfall, located along the Reynolda Village trail but we will initially be exploring the gardens listed above. Refer to the website below for a map and additional information.

Marie Poteat’s Property – Jamestown, NC

The Triad Chapter of CBS will hold a butterfly walk on Saturday, August 12 to Marie Poteat’s property in Jamestown, NC. Of all the triad butterfly reports this year, Maries by far have had the most butterflies. In large part, this is because Marie has spent years reintroducing caterpillar host plants and butterfly nectar plants on what was once her family’s 70-acre+ working farm. For those interested in Monarch butterflies, she has more than 25 species of the milkweed host plants. This hard work has paid off. She probably has more butterfly species visiting and breeding on her property than any other location in Guilford County.

Marie said in an email:

Last year I had the most species of butterflies in mid August so I think we should plan for August 12 with August 19 as the second option depending on weather. Of course there is no guarantee of what we see, but there should be a lot of swallowtails, skippers, and some hairstreaks maybe.

I think the start time should be 9:30 so that we can have from 10:00-12:00 to look for butterflies before the main heat of the day.

Parking will be at 1111 Bales Chapel in Jamestown.

Note that there are no rest rooms available; be sure to make a “pit stop” in town before you continue to the Poteat property. In addition, you will have to bring everything you need including water, a snack, a folding chair, a butterfly field guide, and, if you have them, binoculars and a camera.

Marie is limiting the number of participants to about 10 – 12 people. If you want to join in on this butterfly walk, you MUST register by contacting Marie at the email address below.

Summary: Butterfly walk, 8-12-23, Marie Poteat Property, 1111 Bales Chapel, Jamestown, NC beginning at 9:30 a.m. Limited to 10-12 participants. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE!

Loretta Lutman’s Home Butterfly Garden 2023 (Randolph County, NC)

On Saturday, July 8, 2023, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) has been invited to a butterfly walk at Loretta Lutman’s extensive private butterfly garden in Randolph County that has many nectar plants all around her house. In addition, she has installed her “blue garden,” a sculpture garden of butterfly images with blue being the dominant color. This is a beautiful addition to all her planted beds.

Loretta has previously stated, “The tour of my garden includes photos of what was once a scrubby wooded lot with no sun, to a full-fledged butterfly garden full of nectar plants with the surrounding woodlands supplying host plants. Around and in back of the house are several butterfly sculptures in the ‘blue’ garden. After your tour, sit a spell in the gazebo (with fans), view the garden, and enjoy butterflies, skippers, and the surprise goldfinches that come to forage on coneflower petals. Listen to the delightful sound of the waterfall sprinkler.”

As well as developing her own extensive butterfly garden, Loretta has spent many years as a volunteer working at the nearby NC Zoo in their butterfly gardening efforts. She also is the author of a scientifically accurate children’s book on the butterfly life cycle.

If you would like to attend, please contact Loretta Lutman at the email address below to RSVP and obtain her address (which, for privacy and security concerns, is not published here). If it happens to rain (banish the thought) on July 8, this walk will be rescheduled to July 15.

NC Western Mountains – BRP (near Asheville, NC)

This is a Full CBS Walk to the western mountains of North Carolina that will explore several areas along and around the BRP (Blue Ridge Parkway) near Asheville, NC. We will meet both days at 10:00 at the Bent Creek River Park, at 1610 Brevard Road, Asheville, NC 28806 (GPS coordinates 35.5015, -82.5931), which is located about 100 yards south of the traffic light at the BRP entrance ramp. This meeting location will be our first opportunity to look for butterflies and a good place to leave vehicles (for those who prefer to carpool).

The plan for Saturday is to caravan up Bent Creek to the BRP, travel south past Mount Pisgah to eventually make it to a USFS area called The Pink Beds. For Sunday we could drive further south along the BRP to higher elevations near Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam. Depending on the weather we may decide to go to the higher country on Saturday.

Saturday Proposed Route and Locations

Starting point @ Bent Creek River Park (address and/or GPS coordinates above).
Then 2.7 miles to Hard Times Trailhead.
Next, follow Bent Creek Gap Road for 4.8 miles to Bent Creek Gap to access the BRP.
Continue south on the BRP for 10 miles to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout tower.
Continue south on the BRP & Hwy 276, for 8 miles to the Pink Beds near the Cradle of Forestry.
There are two options for returning to the starting point. The first is going back the way we came. The other is to follow the gravel USFS Yellow Gap Road for 10 miles to the North Mills River Campground, then taking North Mills River Road and Hwy 191 back to Bent Creek River Park.

Sunday Proposed Route and Locations

Meet again at Bent Creek River Park (address and/or GPS coordinates above)
Drive south on the BRP 44 miles to Black Balsam Knob parking area.

Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. Sparrel Wood will lead. Please register on the CBS website or contact Sparrel at [email protected] if you plan on attending.

Following is a link to booking.com for lodging near the starting location.
The 10 best hotels near North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, United States of America (booking.com)

Blue Ridge Mountains – Olympia Marble (Western Madison County, NC)

Below are the details for the upcoming field trip to western Madison County in North Carolina. This event is limited to current members of CBS in good standing (with membership dues paid for 2023). As stated below, this trip is limited to 15 participants (on a first-come, first-served basis) so you are encouraged to reserve your spot early. If you are interested in attending but are unsure of your membership standing, please send an email to Dave Kastner (at the address below) and he will let you know your status. If you are not currently an up-to-date member, you can renew your membership and will be placed on the participant list after dues are received.

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This trip is limited to 15 participants. A wait list will be kept in case of cancellations.

Target Species:

Probable – Silvery Blue, Olympia Marble, Elfins (Eastern Pine, Brown, Henry’s), West Virginia White, Common Roadside Skipper, Hairstreaks, Duskywings, Zebra Swallowtail.
Possible – Northern Crescent, Early Hairstreak, Gulf Fritillary.
Unlikely – Cobweb Skipper (current early record April 9).

The exact locations of the Olympia Marble populations are NOT TO BE DISCLOSED. You must agree in order to join this trip.

The entire trip will be in western Madison County. Pete Dixon will be your leader. Those wishing to attend, please email Dave Kastner ([email protected]), who will verify your CBS membership and forward your email to Pete. Pete will send participants the directions to his farm, where the trip will start both days.

The first day (Tuesday) trip will start at 1:00 by carpooling in 4 cars from Pete’s farm. Expect to be back to the farm by 5:00. The second day, Wednesday, will start at a morning time that Pete will set on Tuesday, based on predicted temperatures and amount of sun. The trip will end at about 4:00 for everyone. Carpooling will be based on the different times people need to leave for their drive back home.

For those who plan to arrive early on Tuesday, Pete can send you the website/directions for a trail that is on your way to his farm where Olympia Marbles have recently been discovered. The trail is about a mile round trip.

For places to stay overnight, there are several rental cabins and B&Bs in the county. Pete has 2 rental cabins on his farm, and there are several others nearby. Mars Hill has a Comfort Inn, and there is a Fairfield Inn in Weaverville (Buncombe County). For something unusual, the old jail in Marshall is now a boutique hotel. Hot Springs has many short-term rental properties. Mars Hill, Marshall, Hot Springs, and Weaverville each have a variety of restaurants and brewery taprooms. Weaverville is 40 min. to Pete’s farm; Marshall is 25 min; Mars Hill is 35 min. Hot Springs is 15 min. Obviously, there are many hotels and restaurants in Asheville, which would be another 10 to 30 min., depending on what area of Asheville you are in.

The planner for this field trip is Gail Lankford, who regrets she will not be able to attend. Feel free to contact her before March 20 at [email protected] for more information.

The proposed rain date for this trip is April 4 and 5.

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