Butterfly Monarchy Club

07/12/2026

Pat Dunlop and I spent yesterday morning with Bob Weeks, our newest BMC member & volunteer, and Count Coordinator, John Demko for the annual CSRV NABA Butterfly Count at Silver Bluff Audubon Sanctuary. We went deep into a meadow and then off the trail into a Carolina bay that is forming to count butterflies. We ended up at the bluffs overlooking the Savannah River which offered a lovely breeze.

We were welcomed by Brandon Heitkamp, Center Director, and our BMC member and Silver Bluff volunteer Linda White.

There are fewer butterflies out this year due to our extreme drought which is very disheartening. We are all hopeful that they will return next year to their normal or higher numbers.

See individual photos for captions and all the butterfly photos are courtesy of Bob!

P.s. will update our totals when we receive the final counts from John.

07/05/2026

What will you discover on the trails at Silver Bluff Audubon Sanctuary? 🦋

Join us on Saturday, July 11 for one of the year’s most rewarding citizen science events—the annual CSRA NABA Butterfly Count ! No experience is necessary, just curiosity and a love of nature.

07/01/2026

A few interesting pollinators visited our backyard today and thought I’d share. See captions below each photo.

06/29/2026

Join the Butterfly Monarchy Club for the CSRA's North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Butterfly Count at Silver Bluff Audubon Sanctuary. Everyone is welcome—from first-time participants to experienced butterfly enthusiasts—as we identify and count butterflies while contributing valuable data to one of North America's longest-running community science projects. Hope to see you on July 11!

06/29/2026

Join hundreds of butterfly enthusiasts receiving updates on our events, gardening tips, conservation news, and volunteer opportunities!

06/27/2026

Pat and I enjoyed a humid, sunny and very warm morning at Cold Creek Nurseries for their “Summer in Full Bloom” event. Everyone was interested in shopping nectar & host plants and chatting about all things pollinators!

Posting a few pictures to encourage more plantings 🌱🪴🪻🌺🌻🐝🦋❣️

06/22/2026

🐝🌼 Happy Pollinator Week!

Pollinator Week is the perfect time to slow down and notice the amazing pollinators that share our gardens, parks, and neighborhoods. Take a walk through your community, visit a local garden, or spend a few minutes watching pollinators visit your favorite flowers. For more ideas on how to spend Pollinator week visit https://www.pollinator.org

We'd love to see your photos of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators in action! 🦋🐝🌸 Send us an email at [email protected] or post your photos below and tell us how you are celebrating Pollinator Week!

06/22/2026

🦋 We're excited to be part of Cold Creek Nursery's Summer in Full Bloom event this Saturday! If you're attending, be sure to stop by the Butterfly Monarchy Club booth to say hello and chat all things butterflies, pollinators, and gardening. We look forward to seeing you there! 🌸🌿

Celebrate the height of the growing season with Summer in Full Bloom, a vibrant midsummer event filled with color, inspiration, and learning at Cold Creek.

06/21/2026

Yesterday’s Butterfly Monarchy Club chapter meeting was filled with practical ideas and inspiration for creating butterfly-friendly gardens. President Susan Potter and Vice President Pat Dunlop shared simple, effective ways to attract and support butterflies through every stage of their life cycle using host plants, nectar sources, and sustainable gardening practices.

And of course, attendees enjoyed a special butterfly release (see the video below)—a beautiful opportunity to admire these remarkable pollinators up close.

06/14/2026

🦋 REMINDER: BMC Chapter Meeting on Saturday at 10:30 AM!

Want to attract more pollinators to your yard? Join the Butterfly Monarchy Club next weekend for our June chapter meeting!
Chapter President Susan Potter and Vice President Pat Dunlop will share simple, actionable steps for designing a beautiful butterfly garden.

What you’ll learn:
🌱 The best pollinator and host plants for our area.
🐛 Fascinating facts about the Monarch lifecycle.
🏡 Practical ways to support local conservation at home.

The Details:
📅 Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM
📍 Location: Aiken County Library (314 Chesterfield Street SW)
🎟️ Admission: FREE | No RSVP required!

Everyone is welcome—bring a friend or neighbor! See you there! 👇