Tag Archives: Walking Distance: Short

2023 Symposium – Saluda Shoals Park (Columbia, SC)

Come and join us for the Carolina Butterfly Society 2023 Symposium that will be held on Saturday, October 7 at Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Road in Columbia, South Carolina. Check-in will be from 9:15 am to 9:45 am. Presentations will be from 9:45 am to 11:45 am and 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm with a break for lunch and a short butterfly walk around Saluda Shoals Park from 11:45 am to 1:30 pm. There is no cost to attend but if you would like to purchase a lunch using the Registration and Lunch Form below, there is a $15.00 charge. (Please note that lunch cannot be guaranteed if we do not receive your lunch form and payment by October 2).

Featured Presentations

Tips for Field Expedient Identification of the Intricate Satyr in Coastal SC – Tom Austin – Land Protection Specialist for the Edisto Island Open Land Trust

Sex, Salt, and the Single Butterfly – Carol Boggs Ph.D. – Professor & Director, School of the Earth, Ocean, & Environment, University of South Carolina

Native Plants that Attract Butterflies – Dennis Burnette – Retired Professor and Current Nature Educator

Where’s Waldo: What Species Do We Need to Search for in South Carolina? – Brian Scholtens Ph.D. – Professor of Biology, College of Charleston

 

Symposium Registration and Lunch Form – Copy and paste the following link into your browser of choice – https://www.carolinabutterflysociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Registration-and-Lunch-Form-2023.pdf

Please note: We are NOT providing single-use water bottles. Please bring your own water bottle and coffee cup. We will provide coffee, creamer, sugar, sweetener, morning snacks, sweet and unsweet tea, cups for tea, and ice. There are drinking fountains in the building where water bottles can be filled or refilled. Ice will be available for the tea and water.

Area Lodging – There are several choices at the intersection of I-20 and Bush River Road:
Doubletree by Hilton                       Best Western Inns and Suites
Quality Inns and Suites                   Sleep Inn Columbia
Other area hotels are also available.

Butterfly walks have also been planned for Friday, October 6, from 2:00 pm until 4:30 pm at Timmerman Trail in Cayce, SC, and Sunday, October 8, from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm at Wateree River HP and WMA in Eastover, SC.

Make plans now to bring a friend and join us.

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.

CANCELLED – Etheredge Mill Pond – Aaron’s Skipper (North, SC)

CANCELLED – After numerous recent scouting visits, no Aaron’s Skippers could be found. Consequently, this year’s walk has been CANCELLED! Here’s to hoping they’ll be back next year.

The Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at Etheredge Mill Pond near North, South Carolina, to look for Aaron’s Skipper fall brood and other late-season butterflies. Please note that this is a Tuesday walk. Locations of interest will be around the mill pond. At times, we will be walking along the fairly wide shoulders of paved roads.

Meet on the east side of Etheredge Mill Pond at the corner of Highway 178 / North Road and Highway 172 / Redmond Mill Road (GPS coordinates 33.62726, -81.04808) in the open area on the north side of Highway 178 and just to the west of Highway 172.

No restrooms are available on the property. Please RSVP to John Demko at the email address below if you plan to participate.

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.

Greensboro Arboretum, NC

On Saturday, October 22, 2022, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the Greensboro Arboretum to look for late season butterflies. This 17-acre site features 14 plant collections, special display gardens and distinct structural features. The extensive variety of plants offers chances to observe butterflies and provides rich educational opportunities for children and adults, landscape designers, and homeowners. Refer to the website below for a map and additional information.

Meet at the arboretum entrance at 401 Ashland Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina 27403 (or for those who prefer GPS coordinates, 36.07027, -79.84208). The contact person for this walk is Laura Karendal.

Gum Swamp Road (Jackson, SC in Aiken County)

On Saturday, August 6, 2022, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk along Gum Swamp Road in Aiken County near Jackson, South Carolina, to look for the Texan Crescent, Tawny Emperor, Hackberry Emperor and other summer butterflies. We will drive to Gum Swamp Road and stop at various locations to walk / scout along the road.

We will meet at the Kathwood Lakes parking area (GPS coordinates 33.33728, -81.84345) of the Silver Bluff Audubon Center and Sanctuary. We will leave some cars at this location and consolidate the number of vehicles. Kathwood Lakes is located on Silver Bluff Road just before the paved road turns to dirt and approximately 200 yards after crossing the railroad tracks coming south. Kathwood Lakes is the name Google Map uses for the bodies of water at this location.

If you are coming from the north, Beech Island is the nearest place with bathrooms, places to eat and gas stations. If coming from the south, Jackson is the nearest place for these items. If coming from the east down Silver Bluff Road, (SC 302), Aiken will be the last town on your way. Jackson will be to your south on SC 125 if you need to stop just prior to the meeting spot.

No restrooms are available along Gum Swamp Road. Please RSVP to John Demko at the email address below if you plan to participate.

Etheredge Mill Pond – Aaron’s Skipper (North, SC)

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at Etheredge Mill Pond near North, South Carolina, to look for Aaron’s Skipper and other early to mid-season butterflies. Locations of interest will be around the mill pond. At times, we will be walking along the fairly wide shoulders of paved roads.

Meet on the east side of Etheredge Mill Pond at the corner of Highway 178 / North Road and Highway 172 / Redmond Mill Road (GPS coordinates 33.62726, -81.04808) in the open area on the north side of Highway 178 and just to the west of Highway 172.

No restrooms are available on the property. Please RSVP to Marty Kastner at the email address below if you plan to participate.

Sumter National Forest, Enoree District – Harvester (Clinton, SC)

POSTPONED (originally scheduled for April 16)

Due to predicted rain at or near 100%, this walk, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2022, has been POSTPONED and rescheduled for Sunday, April 24, 2022. The meeting time and place will be the same as listed below

On Sunday, April 24, 2022, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the Sumter National Forest, Enoree District, near Clinton, South Carolina, to look for the Harvester (found last year) and other early butterflies. There will be some driving on unpaved roads to get to locations of interest.

Meet at the BP Gas Station, 3536 Whitmire Highway, Clinton, SC 29325 (GPS coordinates 34.43873, -81.76258). The BP station is just to the southwest of I-26 at exit 60 (which is for Highway 66). Although there is a restroom at the BP station, it has been suggested we NOT use it unless something has been purchased. If traveling on westbound I-26 (heading northwest from the southeast), there is a rest stop approximately 1.4 miles before reaching exit 60.

Refer to the SCNFS (South Carolina National Forest Service) website link below for additional information about and maps of the Sumter National Forest Enoree District. Please RSVP to Marty Kastner at the email address below if you plan to participate.