North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center

09/04/2026

Mud is important for butterflies too! Sometimes we get so hung up on planting the right plant that we forget about the other needs that pollinators have. "Puddling is a behavior in which butterflies and other insects aggregate on mineral-rich substrates such as mud, animal excrement, carrion, and even human perspiration." They can gather in large groups to lap up the important nutrients.

There is a lot to witness in the Pollinator Haven Garden and one of the more amazing things is the serendipity of circumstance. What some might see as cracked, damaged asphalt, our local butterflies see it as a puddling area when it is temporarily moistened from run-off from watering our nursery. These cloudless sulfurs, checkerspots and tiger swallowtail were enjoying the drink.

You can learn more about it in this cool article: "Puddling in butterflies: current knowledge and new directions" Authors: Emily Lamie , Elise R Morton , Harald F Parzer. Published in Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Volume 118, Issue 2, March 2025, Pages 110–118, https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saaf007

Great Southeast Pollinator Census NC State Extension NC Extension Gardener



Video by Amanda Bratcher, Horticulture Agent, NC Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center
Music: bensound.com Bensound
License code: JDC3RP6RJR6HJ6JZ
Artist: : Roman Senyk

09/03/2026

The black swallowtails are hatching at the Pollinator Haven Garden! This one was drinking nectar on Lantana camara. Come enjoy the butterfly TV today!

09/03/2026

TONIGHT! Want to learn about invasive species in Lee County and what you can do? Join us at the Lee County Libraries NC- Broadway Branch at 4 p.m. (EDIT!) to learn about species to be aware of and what you can do about them THIS fall!

09/02/2026

🌿 GARDEN GUIDE DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2ND 🌿

Check out this week's articles below:

🎡🌽🎟️Celebrate America’s 250th with Vegetables at the Lee Regional Fair🎟️🍅🎡

👉 Read the full guide here:
https://go.ncsu.edu/gardenguidedigestseptember2nd

What's going on in the...

09/01/2026

📢 What’s happening in Lee County this September? 🌾🍂

Your local Lee County Cooperative Extension has a fantastic lineup of community programs, hands-on learning, and youth opportunities coming up this month!

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store:

🌿 Spice Club: Join us in partnership with the Lee County Library to explore the world of Spice Blends! Perfect for home cooks looking to add new flavor to their kitchen.

🚜 Preschool Day at the Lee Regional Fair: Agriculture and literacy come alive for little learners, caregivers, and childcare providers!

🍀 4-H Youth Programs:
• Future Ready Leadership Workshops kick off with a special session on civic engagement.
• Updates on youth achievements in the statewide Eggcellent Egg Competition.
• Fun highlights from our summer programs!

Whether you're looking to learn something new, get involved in 4-H, or join upcoming community events, there’s something for the whole family!

👇 Check out the full newsletter and register for classes here:
🔗 https://go.ncsu.edu/septemberextensionnewsletterleecounty

There's a lot going on! ...

08/28/2026

We're looking forward to being there representing Great Southeast Pollinator Census, along with our partner counties in adjoining counties!

30 years. One big bug bash! 🐛

BugFest is celebrating its 30th anniversary on Saturday, September 19, and you’re invited! Enjoy 100+ exhibits, crafts, games, and entomologists on hand to answer your buggiest questions. Come and try tasty dishes from Café Insecta that might change your mind about eating bugs, then stay for live music and performers that’ll keep the party going into the evening.

This year’s star is the red-banded leafhopper, the face of our “Hoppers” theme. Get more event details at https://ncmns.net/BugFest2026.

NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources
visitRaleigh
Downtown Raleigh Alliance

08/28/2026

Some Bee TV for your morning commute. It is a foggy cool morning out here in Lee County and it is an especially bucolic morning looking across the garden and the fields towards the To***co Barns on the Worthy Property. This morning the bee blossom, Oenothera longiflora, were especially fragrant and popular with the common bumblebee. You have to get out really early in the morning to see the flowers open because they usually close as the day gets brighter and warmer.

Update: rain gauge said 7/10ths of an inch. I think we got more!

NC Extension Gardener NC State Extension

08/27/2026

Butterfly TV is showing on the orange cosmos, Cosmos sulphureus (native to Central America), at the Pollinator Haven Garden . These plants have been volunteering in the Garden since we planted them from seed. The variegated fritillaries are coming out in droves! We also are starting to see the black swallowtail caterpillars making their pilgrimages to find a place to hide as they pupate (spin their chrysalis).

These flowers attract butterflies, but also bees, wasp and flies, which are important pollinators and garden protectors.

Exciting times in the raised beds!

08/27/2026

🚨 AN IMPORTANT LOOK AT OUR LOCAL FARMLAND FUTURE 🚜

Data from the American Farmland Trust (Farms Under Threat 2040), presented by NC State and NC Cooperative Extension, highlights a critical trend across North Carolina.

As shown on the map, Lee County is projected to lose between 15% to 30% of its agricultural land by 2040 due to conversion into urban, highly developed, or low-density residential use.

Growth is coming, but preserving our agricultural heritage and local food systems matters.

💬 How do you think Lee County should balance growth and development with farmland preservation? Drop your thoughts below! 👇

Check out our resources below:

Lee County Cooperative Extension Farmland Preservation Page- https://go.ncsu.edu/farmland-preservation

American Farmland Trust Farms Under Threat 2040 Report Link:
https://go.ncsu.edu/farmsunderthreat2040