Tag Archives: South Carolina

NABA Count – Congaree National Park (Hopkins, SC)

On Saturday, August 17, 2023, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will participate in a NABA (North American Butterfly Association) count at Congaree National Park near Columbia, South Carolina, to look for seasonal butterflies.

Meet at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center (GPS coordinates 33.82984, -80.82343) where we will divide into smaller groups. Some groups will have longer areas to walk than others. Some of the trails will have roots and/or may be overgrown. There are no restaurants nearby. You do not have to be an expert to participate and may come for a whole or half day.

Refer to the national park website link below for additional information and maps of the property. If possible, bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. If you do not have binoculars, Congaree may be able to provide a set for the day. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. Please register on the CBS website or RSVP to Marty Kastner at the email address below if you can help with this important count.

REVISED DATE – Super-Sod Farm and Surrounding Area – Common Sootywing (Orangeburg, SC)

REVISED DATE – Moved to Wednesday, May 24 (from Monday, May 22) due to expected weather conditions.

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will explore areas around and possibly inside the Super-Sod Farm in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Please note that this is now a Wednesday walk. Our target species is the Common Sootywing which has been recoded here in the past.

Meet at the Super-Sod office at 3086 Five Chop Road, Orangeburg, South Carolina, 29115. The GPS coordinates are 33.4594, -80.7433.

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

Sumter National Forest, Enoree District, South Carolina

The location for this trip has been changed from Chester County to Newberry and Laurens Counties.

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk to the Enoree District of the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina. Please note that this is a Sunday walk. Our target species are the Pepper and Salt Skipper, Common Roadside-Skipper and possibly Dusted Skipper.

Meet at the BP gas station on Highway 66, Whitmire Highway, just off I-26 at exit 60. The GPS coordinates of the gas station are 34.4383, -81.7628.

There are bathrooms in the camping area of Sumter National Forest, but we may not be near them until the afternoon. There is also a rest stop on westbound I-26 shortly before exit 60. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. Dennis Forsythe will lead. Please register on the CBS website or contact Dennis at [email protected] if you can attend.

Congaree NP, Highway 601 Area – Spring Butterflies (near Columbia, SC)

===== DATE CHANGE =====

Due to the weather forecast of 70% chance of rain, on Saturday, April 22, this walk has been changed to Sunday, April 23. This walk was originally scheduled for April 29 but, due to other event conflicts, had been changed to April 22.

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk at the “Highway 601 Area” of Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Our target species are any Spring butterflies. We will be exploring several locations in the immediate vicinity. Some areas may be a little overgrown, but the walking is mostly on level ground and easy.

We will meet at the head of the Bates Trail off Highway 601. Meeting place GPS coordinates are 33.762318, -80.642496.

We will drive to different areas and hike the trails to look for butterflies. Parking should be available at all locations but there are no restrooms. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. Dave and Marty Kastner will lead. Please register on the CBS website or contact them at [email protected] if you can attend.

DATE CHANGE – Folly Beach – Yucca Giant-Skipper (near Charleston, SC)

===== DATE CHANGE =====

The date for this walk has been changed to WEDNESDAY, April 12 due to the prediction of heavy rain on the original date of April 8.

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk to Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve at the north end of Folly Beach in South Carolina. The target species is the Yucca Giant-Skipper.

Per the Lighthouse Inlet HP website, there is no close accessible parking and a paved surface leads to a natural, unimproved surface out to the beach area. Alison Smith will lead the walk. We will meet at Alison Smith’s home at 8:30 AM and carpool because parking is limited at the heritage preserve entrance and may be an issue. Contact Alison at [email protected] if you are coming and she will send you her address.

REVISED DATE – Carolina Sandhills NWR and Cheraw State Park – Elfins & Hessel’s Hairstreak (near McBee, SC)

REVISED DATE – Moved to Sunday, April 2 (from Saturday, April 1)

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk at the Carolina Sandhills NWR (National Wildlife Refuge) and Cheraw State Park in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Our target species will be all the elfins and Hessel’s Hairstreak.

Please meet in the parking lot at the visitor center of Carolina Sandhills NWR. The main entrance is on US Highway 1, about 4 miles northeast of McBee, SC. The address is 23734 U.S. Highway 1, McBee, SC 29101, and the GPS coordinates are 34.502551, -80.223653.

There are restroom facilities at Lake Bee, but we will not be near there until later in the day if at all. There are gas stations in McBee. We will drive to different areas at both locations and stop to look for butterflies. Walking will be minimal. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. Marty and Dave Kastner will lead. Please register on the CBS website or contact [email protected] if you can attend.

RESCHEDULED – Wateree River HP & WMA – Henry’s Elfin & Falcate Orangetip (Eastover, near Columbia, SC)

RESCHEDULED

Due to the forecast for rain on Saturday, March 18, this walk has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 21, starting at 11:00 AM. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you will still be able to attend.

The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk at the 3,674-acre Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area. Our target species are the Henry’s Elfin and Falcate Orangetip, but we will also be looking for other early-season butterflies as well. We will drive to various areas and walk some of the trails. Areas may be a little overgrown, but the walking is mostly on level ground and easy.

Meet at the first kiosk that is located on the right, about 0.45 miles along Goodwill Road after entering the property. GPS coordinates for the kiosk are 33.94949, -80.65303. The HP / WMA entrance is located at 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC 29044 (GPS coordinates 33.94353, -80.65551) on the north side of Garners Ferry Road, US Highway 378, just across from Goodwill Baptist Church.

No restrooms are available on the property. Refer to the SCDNR website link below for additional information and maps of the property. Please RSVP to Marty Kastner at the email address below if you plan to participate. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, and bug spray. Long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended.

See the website link below for hiking trails and other information about the Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area.

CANCELLED – SI Group Hundred Acre Woods – Goatweed Leafwing (Orangeburg, SC)

=== CANCELLED ===

This walk has been cancelled due to expected rain almost all day in Orangeburg. If at all possible, we will try to reschedule for a later date.

On Saturday, September 10, 2022, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the SI Group Hundred Acre Woods in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to look for the Goatweed Leafwing (we believe there is an existing, ongoing colony) and other fall butterflies. There will be a short drive on an unpaved road to get to our staging point, and, after parking, we will walk around the property.

There is a porta potty on site. Restaurants and gas stations are nearby. The walk will be on flat ground, but some field areas may be overgrown.

The address is 725 Cannon Bridge Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115 (GPS coordinates 33.465095, -80.884050). Traveling south on Cannon Bridge Road from Highway 301, go past the railroad crossing and come in the third entrance on the left just after the main parking lot area for the SI Group and just before the fenced-in electrical substation enclosure. After turning in, look to your right and follow the short dirt road, on the east side of the electrical substation enclosure, towards the tree line where we will meet and line up our cars. After everyone has arrived, Arthur Sweatman from the SI Group will lead the caravan of cars back to the Hundred Acre Woods parking area.

Please register online at the CBS website or RSVP to Diane Curlee, our trip organizer, at the email address below if you plan to participate.

NABA Count – Congaree National Park (Hopkins, SC)

On Saturday, September 17, 2022, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will participate in a NABA (North American Butterfly Association) count at Congaree National Park near Columbia, South Carolina, to look for seasonal butterflies.

Meet at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center (GPS coordinates 33.82984, -80.82343) where we will divide into smaller groups. Some groups will have longer areas to walk than others. Some of the trails will have roots and/or may be overgrown. There are no restaurants nearby. You do not have to be an expert to participate and may come for a whole or half day.

Refer to the national park website link below for additional information and maps of the property. Please RSVP to Claudia Santiago at the email address below if you can help with this important count.