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BACKYARD BUTTERFLIES
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I know you've probably seen a lot of Giving Tuesday posts on social media or received emails in your inbox today, many asking for support during a time when we’re all tightening our belts and doing our best to navigate everything happening in the world. This year, I decided to run a few Giving Tuesday campaigns to help us offset some new operating costs and unexpected expenses brought on by the economic turbulence we’ve all been feeling.
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There are two ways you can make a difference with our Giving Tuesday campaigns. The first is our traditional monetary donation, which helps fund programs like Caterpillar Support, free public moth nights including the Hillsborough Moth Crawl, and our Spring and Fall Plant Grants. The second is by making an in-kind contribution through our Amazon Shopping List, where you can purchase items we frequently use to carry out our programs and operations. Both options directly support our mission and help us continue doing the work we love.
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There are so many wonderful small nonprofits out there creating real change in people’s lives and in the world. What we do at Backyard Butterflies is part of that story, and then some. By caring for our scaly-winged friends, we also care for people. The simple acts of growing plants, raising caterpillars, and counting moths ripple outward, supporting both individual well-being and community connection. Our free moth nights bring together adults, children, families, literally everyone, to contribute to and be part of citizen science. Growing native plants gives people hope for the future, delivers a much-needed dopamine lift, provides essential food sources for wildlife, and strengthens our local ecosystems.
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Any amount you can donate, or any item you can purchase from our Amazon Shopping List, directly supports our ability to continue this important work for the Leps, our community, and the environment. We appreciate you more than you know and are grateful for the support you show us all year long!
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Together, we’re making a real and meaningful difference. Thank you for being part of it and for supporting us! We look forward to seeing you next year at our Plant Sale Fundraisers, Open House & Plant Swap, and the Hillsborough Moth Crawl!
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Love, Light, & Leps,
Lior S. Carlson
Executive Director
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One-time Donation
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Our traditional call for monetary donations comes with a modest goal this year: raising $500 to help offset the unexpected expenses we faced this fall. In September, we experienced an unusually high demand for our Caterpillar Support program, and at the same time one of our key plant propagation suppliers increased shipping costs substantially. Your support helps us absorb these sudden costs so we can continue providing our services at no charge to the community.
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We value transparency and accountability. We want you to know exactly where your donation goes and how it makes a difference.
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A donation of $25 helps us support roughly a dozen adopted Monarch or Black Swallowtail caterpillars as they complete their life cycle and emerge as healthy, breeding adults.
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A donation of $50 helps us continue offering multiple free public Moth Nights at local parks and nature preserves, events that bring people of all ages together to experience community science and the wonder of nighttime biodiversity.
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A donation of $100 fully supports one Plant Grant award, providing 18 native plants to a qualifying organization—such as a school, public library, local park or nature preserve, or community garden—helping them create or expand essential habitat.
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Monthly Donation
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Become a monthly moth ally and help keep butterflies, moths, and pollinators thriving throughout the year. Monthly donations give us steady support, especially during the off-season, so we can continue rescuing caterpillars, growing native plants, and connecting people to nature.
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A testament to the special powers of one of our favorite programs is the Hillsborough Moth Crawl. Despite a pop-up storm over Brumley Forest NP during the event, people continued to moth and show up to be part of the event. Many brought rain gear so they could continue undaunted! One group who started at the Confluence Natural Area made moth-themed hats for a birthday, which was such a joyful and memorable moment for everyone there.
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Throughout the year, we also hosted more than a dozen free public moth nights in partnership with other organizations across the state, rescued and adopted more than 300 Monarch caterpillars, helped another 50 with host plants, and cared for 50 Black Swallowtails.
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In addition, we awarded 53 Plant Grants to schools, libraries, parks, and community gardens, helping create habitats that support local wildlife. Through these 53 grants approximately 864 native plants were given their forever homes!
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By giving monthly, you become part of this ongoing work. Your support helps us keep programs running, inspire curiosity about nature, and nurture habitats that matter.
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Sign up today to make a monthly gift and be a steady light for moths, butterflies, and the people who love them.
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Plant sales have always been our main fundraiser. It makes perfect sense to grow the plants that caterpillars need to complete their life cycles. But let’s be honest… not everyone has space for another plant (gasp!)
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That’s why we’ve created an Amazon shopping list of items we regularly use through the Lepidoptera season, along with a few “wish list” goodies that will help us flutter farther for caterpillar care, plant propagation, moth nights, the NC Moth Project, community outreach and education.
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Every item you purchase for us directly supports our mission. Think of it as feeding our caterpillars, fueling our moth nights, and keeping the lights on for butterflies and pollinators everywhere, all from the comfort of your home!
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