Backyard Butterflies

Pilot Mountain NABA Count
2021-08-25 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Pilot Mountain State Park, 1792 Pilot Knob Park Rd, Pinnacle, North Carolina, 27043
Please send an email to Brian Bockhahn regarding this count.

Hanging Rock NABA Count
2021-08-24 09:00 - 15:00 | Vade Mecum, 1105 Camp Sertoma Dr, Westfield, North Carolina, 27053

Mayo River NABA Count
2021-08-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Mayo River State Park, 500 Old Mayo Park Road, Mayodan, North Carolina, 27027

Durham County NABA Count
2021-08-15 09:00 - 15:00 | North Carolina
See Jeff’s website for more information

2nd Annual Guilford & Rockingham Counties NABA Count
2021-08-10 09:00 - 15:00 | Iron Ore Belt Access, 6068 N Church St, Greensboro, NC, 27455, United States
Please use this link to learn more and register for this NABA butterfly count.

5th Annual Orange County NABA Count
2021-08-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Citizen Scientists Wanted
Join us for the 6th conduction of the Orange County NABA Count! If you are not familiar with what is a NABA count, please visit the NABA website for more information. All butterfly identification skill levels are welcome to participate. We welcome any amount of time you can provide to cover designated areas within Orange County.
Areas to be covered, but not limited to: Brumley Forest, Johnston Mill, Occoneechee State Park, portions of Duke Forest, NCBG, and other areas in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
Please visit our event webpage to register to participate and for more information.

3rd Annual Moth Night at Backyard Butterflies
2021-07-17 20:30 - 23:30 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Please join us for our 3rd Annual Moth Night at Backyard Butterflies in Hillsborough, NC. Our annual moth night is in celebration of National Moth Week.
All ages are welcome but we recommend children be at least 8+ years old. All kids must be accompanied by an adult. No pets please.
Please note you will be coming to a private residence. We live in a quiet neighborhood.
This event is highly weather dependent. If it’s rainy or forecast to rain this event will either be cancelled or rescheduled. A tentative reschedule date is July 24, 2021.
What Equipment We Use: We will be using a 40-watt 24 inch UV light and a 160-watt mercury vapor light. We may optionally use a 400-watt metal halide light.
What We Provide: We will have UV protection glasses available, DEET based insect repellent, and sunscreen. We will also have two lighted magnifying glasses.
What to Bring: Please bring a flashlight or wear a headlamp. You may wish to apply bug repellent. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes and long pants. Be sure to bring along your favorite moth field guide and camera! You are welcome to bring a lawn chair, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverage.
What to Expect: It can be quite “buggy” around the collecting sheet. The lights attract more than just moths. We will see all kinds of insects!
About Our Ticketing: Parking space is limited. All ticket types are per car and limited to one per order. You can have as many people in your car as you like or fit! Tickets are free or donation-based. We suggest a minimum donation of $5.
If you have any questions, please contact us at hello@backyardbutterflies.org. Please visit our event website for more information: https://www.backyardbutterflies.org/moth-night/
To view moths we have seen on our collecting sheet, visit our Moth Gallery.

5th Annual Open House & Plant Swap
2021-06-19 08:00 - 14:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for our 5th Annual Open House & Plant Swap. Learn how to create a butterfly habitat in your backyard and interact with butterflies.Tickets are donation-based with a suggested donation of $5 per ticket. Please visit the event webpage to get tickets.
This event is one day only, rain or shine. Parking is extremely limited. Please carpool if you can!
The Open House
Once a year we open our home to allow the public to tour our backyard butterfly habitat so that you can learn how to create a butterfly and pollinator friendly space, garden, or habitat.
Our primary source of funding for our organization is through the sale of common to rare butterfly host and nectar plants. We will have a selection of butterfly nectar and host plants available for purchase. We will also have a limited amount of free plants available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Plant Swap
The Plant Swap is our way of helping you and other members of our community to acquire plants at no cost to help you get started or supplement your garden. You are welcome to bring plants from your garden to swap with other participants.
Our Story
We are a small non-profit that provides education, community outreach, and help people create backyard butterfly-friendly habitats. We began transforming our two acres in 2012 and our efforts have been a work in progress ever since. We have hand-raised almost 20 different butterfly species from plants either naturally occurring or placed within our habitat. Our habitat has a lifetime count of 71 species of butterfly observed.
We welcome adults and children. We love all pets but please leave them at home today. We do not have a public restroom at this time. All areas are grass covered and fairly level. Please contact us if you have any questions or have special needs.

Weymouth Woods NABA Count
2021-06-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Weymouth Woods Sandhills NP, 1024 Ft. Bragg Road, Southern Pines, North Carolina, 28387
Meet up will be at the Visitor’s Center in the morning. This location offers a pleasant walk through stands of pine forests.
Pathways are packed sand. Wearing sturdy walking or hiking shoes is recommended along with long sleeves and pants as we will go off trail in some locations to look for as many butterfly species as possible. It is recommended you use a good bug spray, wear sunscreen, and carry water with you. Be sure to bring with you those items you may need to have a pleasant experience.
It is recommended you bring a packed lunch and snacks with plenty of water.
The Visitor’s Center has public restrooms and a water fountain. The nearest towns of Aberdeen and Southern Pines have many restaurants and other accommodations.
Target species for this count 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.

Raise a Caterpillar Workshop
2020-09-19 11:30 - 12:30 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join local butterfly expert and enthusiast LM Carlson in learning how to raise an Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. During the workshop you will learn about the life cycle of the butterfly, unique characteristics of Swallowtail butterflies, and how to care for both the caterpillar and chrysalis.

Orange County NABA Count
2020-08-09 09:00 - 15:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Event Details & Description

Join us for the 4th conduction of the Orange County NABA Count! If you are not familiar with what is a NABA count, please visit the NABA website for more information. All butterfly identification skill levels are welcome to participate. We welcome any amount of time you can provide to cover designated areas within Orange County.
Areas to be covered, but not limited to: Brumley Forest, Johnston Mill, Occoneechee State Park, portions of Duke Forest, NCBG, and other areas in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
The $3 fee to participate will be covered by Backyard Butterflies.
Ready to join us? Click the button to sign-up or contact us.
Contact Us

4th Annual Open House & Plant Swap
2020-06-20 08:00 - 14:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Please visit our webpage for event details including FAQs and RSVP tickets.

Annual Brown Elfin Walk
2020-04-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Occoneechee Mountain State Park, 625 Virginia Cates Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
We believe butterfly walks can be conducted as long as we uphold the recommended 6+ feet from one another and keep the group size to 10 or less. About the only time there could be crowding is when we are all trying to get a look at these very small butterflies at the same time. If we’re patient we should all be able to see these “limited time only” butterflies.

We will meet in the parking lot area near the map bulletin board. This will be a brief walk lasting about an hour. If there is interest we can look around for additional early butterflies.

This walk will take place even if the weather is cool and overcast. We have sighted the Brown and Henry’s Elfins under such conditions. Please reserve your space for this butterfly walk as spaces are limited, and if we need to contact you about any changes to the event. If needed we will add additional times to accommodate more than 10 people.

Please wear sturdy shoes or footwear designed for hiking at the trail is gravel, inclined, and uneven. Bring with you any other necessities you may require for an enjoyable walk. Amenities at this park are composting toilets.

There are numerous fast food restaurants within a mile of the park.

If you wish to photograph the Brown Elfin be sure to have a zoom lens as the butterfly is quite flighty. A close-up is possible if you are willing to patiently wait near a laurel bush. Additional sightings of anglewings, Juvenal’s Duskywings, and Mourning Cloaks are possible.

Launch of Online Plant Shop
2020-03-27 22:59 - 23:29 | North Carolina
Launch of our new online store!
We have host plants for 16 species of butterfly and moth, and 38 species of nectar plants for the 2020 growing season. All orders are for pick-up at our location in Hillsborough. Customers who live within 30 miles of our location can opt to have their purchase delivered for a $5.00 fee.

Fall Moth Night
2019-10-12 19:30 - 2019-10-13 19:30 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for an evening of moth-ing in our backyard habitat! We will be firing up our 400 watt metal halide and 40 watt UV light to bring all of the moths to the yard! This moth night is a practical supplement to the presentation at Wild Birds Unlimited in Chapel Hill on moths.
If you have never attended a moth collecting before, please be aware that you may want to apply sunscreen to your face to prevent skin damage. We have a limited number of UV safety glasses for you to use during your visit.
Please bring a flashlight or wear a headlamp. You may wish to apply bug repellent. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes and long pants. Be sure to bring along your favorite moth field guide and camera!
Please note you will be coming to a private residence in a quiet neighborhood.
Parking space is limited and we require that you RSVP per car. You can have as many people in your car as you like or fit! If you have any questions or comments, please contact us!
How to Register & RSVP
Parking space is limited and we require that you RSVP per car. You can have as many people in your car as you like or fit! If you have any questions or comments, please contact us!

Step 1: Click on the purple REGISTER button. Fill out the form that will appear on the page. Click SUBMIT.
Step 2: Under RSVP enter 1, then click on the COMFIRM RSVP button. You will receive an email from WORDPRESS containing your RSVP.

Step 3: Optional. Please consider making a donation to Backyard Butterflies to help with costs and expenses. We appreciate your support!

[rtec-registration-form]

Bass Lake Day
2019-10-05 13:00 - 16:00 | Sugg Farm, 2401 Grigsby Ave., Holly Springs, North Carolina, 27540
We will be conducting education and community outreach at Bass Lake Day. Come by an see what caterpillars or butterflies we have collected from our backyard habitat, recent moth sightings, and more! We plan to have some DIY butterfly related crafts for a quick make & take project.

Caterpillar Raising Workshop at WBU Chapel Hill
2019-09-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Wild Birds Unlimited, 1806 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514
Learn how to raise an Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillar into a butterfly during this 45 minute workshop conducted by Lori M. Carlson of Backyard Butterflies and hosted by Wild Birds Unlimited in Chapel Hill.
The Fine Print You Really Need to Read Before Registering
Before registering please note that your caterpillar may require care for one to two weeks before becoming a chrysalis. There is a very good chance that your chrysalis will hibernate over the winter. Hibernation is from 6-9 months. You will be instructed how to care for your chrysalis during its hibernation. Your butterfly must be released within North Carolina. Please contact us if you have any questions.
How to Register
Step 1: Click on the purple REGISTER button. Fill out the form that will appear on the page. Click SUBMIT.
Step 2: Under Tickets enter 1*, then click on the BUY NOW button. You will then be redirected to PayPal to complete your transaction.
The $25 registration fee includes instruction for one adult and up to two children and includes one basic caterpillar kit consisting of one critter cage, 1-2 caterpillars, host plant, booklet, and free after workshop support. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Children of all ages are welcome to attend.
All registration fees must be pre-paid using the link provided for tickets. Registration ends on September 13, 2019 at 11:30 PM.
*Additional basic kits may be purchased for $25, simply enter a value greater than 1; however, there is a limit of 15 basic kits per workshop.
No refunds. Workshop fee is transferrable to another session or person.
[rtec-registration-form]

NABA Count: Pilot Mountain State Park
2019-08-27 09:00 - 15:00 | Pilot Mountain State Park, 1792 Pilot Knob Park Rd, Pinnacle, North Carolina, 27043
Left to Right: Common Sootywing, Peck’s Skipper, White M Hairstreak, Eufala Skipper, Common Buckeye Caterpillar
This count has sighted some butterflies that are uncommon to rare, as well as some that are not seen in the Durham and Orange County area.
Meet up is in the parking lot near the restrooms.
This count will take place in areas off of trails through tall grasses. We recommend wearing hiking shoes or boots as we will being walking through areas without trails. Long pants are recommended as well as 40+% DEET bug repellent. Sunscreen and hats are also advised.
Please prepare for heat indexes of over 100°F on this walk by bringing water or electrolyte containing beverages. A packed lunch is also recommended. Access to flush toilets will be limited. There are public restrooms in the park and there is a public water fountain.
[rtec-registration-form]

Central Park School for Children Habitat Tour
2019-08-26 09:30 - 11:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
We love conducting tours, classes, and workshops for school groups! Please visit our Education Page for information about what we offer and to schedule with us.

NABA Count: Mayo River State Park
2019-08-21 09:00 - 15:00 | Mayo River State Park, 500 Old Mayo Park Road, Mayodan, North Carolina, 27027
Left to Right: Silver Spotted Skipper caterpillar, dark form female Tiger Swallowtail on hoary mountain mint, puddling butterflies, Harvester
Meet up for this count is in the park at the bathroom parking lot.
We recommend wearing hiking shoes or boots as we will being walking through areas without trails. Long pants are recommended as well as 40+% DEET bug repellent. Sunscreen and hats are also advised.
Please prepare for heat indexes of over 100°F on this walk by bringing water or electrolyte containing beverages. A packed lunch is also recommended. Access to flush toilets will be limited. There are public restrooms in the park and there is a public water fountain. The nearest town with restaurants is about 3 miles away, and the nearest Walmart is about 5 miles away. Often this count experiences a brief thunderstorm. It is advised to bring a change of clothes and or socks.

[rtec-registration-form]

NABA Count: Hanging Rock State Park
2019-08-20 09:00 - 15:00 | Vade Mecum, 1105 Camp Sertoma Dr, Westfield, North Carolina, 27053
Top: Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar
Left to Right: Eastern Comma, Catalpa moth caterpillar, Question Mark, Northern Pearly Eye
Meet up for this count is at Vade Mecum located outside of the main park area.
This count will take place in areas off of trails through tall grasses, over river rocks, and on some blazed trails.
We recommend wearing hiking shoes or boots as we will being walking through areas without trails. Long pants are recommended as well as 40+% DEET bug repellent. Sunscreen and hats are also advised.
Please prepare for heat indexes of over 100°F on this walk by bringing water or electrolyte containing beverages. A packed lunch is also recommended. Access to flush toilets will be limited. There are public restrooms in the park and there is a public water fountain.
[rtec-registration-form]

NABA Count: Durham County
2019-08-18 08:30 - 17:00 | North Carolina
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NABA Count: Orange County
2019-08-15 09:00 - 15:00 | North Carolina
Join us for the 3rd conduction of the Orange County NABA Count! If you are not familiar with what is a NABA count, please visit the NABA website for more information. All butterfly identification skill levels are welcome to participate. We welcome any amount of time you can provide to cover designated areas within Orange County.
Areas to be covered, but not limited to: Brumley Forest, Johnston Mill, Keith Arboretum, Occoneechee State Park, portions of Duke Forest, and other areas in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
The $3 fee to participate will be covered by Backyard Butterflies.
Ready to join us? Click the button to sign-up or contact us.
Contact Us

National Moth Week: Family Moth Night
2019-07-28 21:00 - 23:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us at Backyard Butterflies for Adult Moth Night in celebration of National Moth Week!
We are firing up our moth lights in the backyard! Come see what we attract to our collecting sheet!
Please bring a flashlight or wear a headlamp. You may wish to apply bug repellent. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes and long pants. Be sure to bring along your favorite moth field guide and camera!
All ages are welcome but we recommend children be at least 8+ years old. All kids must be accompanied by an adult.
We are also hosting an Adult Month Night on Saturday, July 27.
Please note you will be coming to a private residence. We live in a quiet neighborhood.
How to Register & RSVP
Parking space is limited and we require that you RSVP per car. You can have as many people in your car as you like or fit! If you have any questions or comments, please contact us!

Step 1: Click on the purple REGISTER button. Fill out the form that will appear on the page. Click SUBMIT.
Step 2: Under RSVP enter 1, then click on the COMFIRM RSVP button. You will receive an email from WORDPRESS containing your RSVP.

Step 3: Optional. Please consider making a donation to Backyard Butterflies to help with costs and expenses. We appreciate your support!

[rtec-registration-form]

National Moth Week: Adult Moth Night
2019-07-27 21:00 - 2019-07-28 00:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us at Backyard Butterflies for Adult Moth Night in celebration of National Moth Week!
We are firing up our moth lights in the backyard! Come see what we attract to our collecting sheet!
Please bring a flashlight or wear a headlamp. You may wish to apply bug repellent. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes and long pants. Be sure to bring along your favorite moth field guide and camera!
This Moth Night is for adults only. We are also hosting a Family Moth Night on Sunday, July 28.
Please note you will be coming to a private residence. We live in a quiet neighborhood.
How to Register & RSVP
Parking space is limited and we require that you RSVP per car. You can have as many people in your car as you like or fit! If you have any questions or comments, please contact us!

Step 1: Click on the purple REGISTER button. Fill out the form that will appear on the page. Click SUBMIT.
Step 2: Under RSVP enter 1, then click on the COMFIRM RSVP button. You will receive an email from WORDPRESS containing your RSVP.

Step 3: Optional. Please consider making a donation to Backyard Butterflies to help with costs and expenses. We appreciate your support!

[rtec-registration-form]

Annual Open House & Plant Swap 2019
2019-06-22 08:00 - 12:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for our 3rd Annual Open House & Plant Swap on the Summer Solstice!
How the Open House works
We open our habitat to allow members of our community to come see how we created our garden and habitat, maintain it, changes we make, and what we continue to learn from observing it in action. We offer a guided tour of the habitat telling our story, showcase our favorite plants, discuss how everything has a role in the habitat, and show you all of the life stages of various butterfly species currently in the yard.
How the Plant Swap works
1. Bring a plant from your garden that is either a host plant or nectar plant for any pollinator. (See our suggested plant list.)
2. Check in your plants with us upon arrival. For each plant you bring you’ll get 1 swap credit. Save time by filling out a Plant Swap Check In Sheet before you come and be sure to bring it with you!
3. Use your credits to swap a plant with us, or with plants others have brought to swap.
4. Don’t have any plants to bring? No problem! We’ll have plants you can purchase.
Open House & Plant Swap List (Updated June 3, 2019)

Annual Open House & Plant Swap 2019
2019-06-21 08:00 - 12:00 | Backyard Butterflies, 1507 US HWY 70A East, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for our 3rd Annual Open House & Plant Swap on the Summer Solstice!
How the Open House works
We open our habitat to allow members of our community to come see how we created our garden and habitat, maintain it, changes we make, and what we continue to learn from observing it in action. We offer a guided tour of the habitat telling our story, showcase our favorite plants, discuss how everything has a role in the habitat, and show you all of the life stages of various butterfly species currently in the yard.

How the Plant Swap works
1. Bring a plant from your garden that is either a host plant or nectar plant for any pollinator. (See our suggested plant list.)
2. Check in your plants with us upon arrival. For each plant you bring you’ll get 1 swap credit. Save time by filling out a Plant Swap Check In Sheet before you come and be sure to bring it with you!
3. Use your credits to swap a plant with us, or with plants others have brought to swap.
4. Don’t have any plants to bring? No problem! We’ll have plants you can purchase.

Swap and Plant List for Open House (Updated June 3, 2019)

Raise a Caterpillar Workshop at WBU
2019-06-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Wild Birds Unlimited, 1806 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514
Learn how to raise an Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillar into a butterfly during this 45 minute workshop conducted by Lori M. Carlson of Backyard Butterflies and hosted by Wild Birds Unlimited in Chapel Hill. Workshop fee includes one critter cage, one caterpillar, host plant, booklet and free after workshop support. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by a parent or an adult. All registration fees must be pre-paid. Limit of 15 spaces.
Please note that your caterpillar/chrysalis will require care for one to two weeks. Your butterfly must be released within North Carolina. No refunds. Workshop fee is transferrable.

NABA Count: Weymouth Woods
2019-06-06 09:00 - 15:00 | Weymouth Woods Sandhills NP, 1024 Ft. Bragg Road, Southern Pines, North Carolina, 28387

Wednesday Walk: Picture Creek Barrens
2019-05-29 11:00 - 15:00 | McDonald’s Butner, 1543 NC-56,, Butner, North Carolina, 27522
Left to Right: Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), Tall barbara’s buttonns (Marshallia legrandii), False indigo (Baptisia australis), Downy wood mint (Blephilia ciliata), Smooth coneflower (Echinacea laevigata).
Meet up for this walk will be at the Butner McDonald’s off of I-85N as the access location for this site has no address. We will be parked at the back of the lot and will not be inside the restaurant. We will then drive to the walk location from the restaurant. Note that the time of this walk is different from other Wednesday Walks. We will start at 11 AM.
This location has no trails, no amenities, and the restroom is standing or squatting behind a tree or shrub. We recommend that only those who have no mobility limitations or difficulties participate in this walk, and are comfortable with very rustic conditions. If you have any special need or concerns about joining us in this walk, please contact us. The lack of conveniences is well worth the extra effort required for this walk as not only does it provide an opportunity to see butterflies in situ, but it also is a protected area of genuine Piedmont Prairie. The landscape is populated with an amazing assortment of native plants, some of which can only be found in this location.
Butterfly species we expect to see include Juniper Hairstreaks, Coral Hairstreak, Great Spangled Fritillaries, Zebra Swallowtails, Common Buckeyes, American Ladies, and assorted grass skippers. Flora that should be in majestic, splendorous bloom at this time of year: Asclepias tuberosa, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, Baptisia autralis, downy wood mint, variegated milkweed, dogbane, smooth coneflower, golden alexander, and tall barbara’s buttons.
We strongly recommend wearing a bug and tick repellent of at least 40% DEET as we will be walking through tall grasses. Finding ticks on your body after the walk is guaranteed! We will also suggest bringing with you beverages and a packed lunch. Binoculars are optional as we will be able to get fairly close to most butterflies. This walk is an excellent photo op for the flora as well as for the butterflies. The following video was taken on May 26, 2017 and is of a Zebra Swallowtail foraging on Asclepias tuberosa.
https://www.backyardbutterflies.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/VID_20170526_125511408.mp4
