What to look for in nature in South Carolina this May

When do loggerhead sea turtles start nesting in South Carolina?

• The first nests of the season

  Usually beginning around May 1, with an occasional early nest in late April · Sandy beaches from the Grand Strand to the Sea Islands

  SCDNR’s April 2025 release reported that the first nest of that year was found on April 29 at Folly Beach, a few days ahead of the usual May 1 start, and that Seabrook Island had already logged two false crawls, which are trips ashore that end without a nest. Four species nest in the state: loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys and leatherbacks, and loggerheads lay most of the nests. A mother digs her nest in the dry sand of the dune system and lays about 120 eggs. SCDNR says a female can nest up to six times in a season, about every two weeks, while NOAA Fisheries gives three to five nests of roughly 100 eggs. Sources differ, so treat both as typical ranges.

• Counts rise and fall from year to year

  Published by SCDNR for 2018 through 2024 · Statewide

  The same release lists 2,766 nests in 2018, a record 8,795 in 2019, 5,560 in 2020, 5,644 in 2021, 7,996 in 2022, 6,618 in 2023 and 4,818 in 2024. SCDNR explains that females do not nest every year, so totals swing, and that nesting has trended upward across the Southeast over the past decade. NOAA Fisheries says females mature at about 35 years and breed every two to three years, which is why a single season tells you little.

• What the beach looks like to a hatchling-to-be

  From now through October · Any dark beach

  SCDNR says hatchlings steer by the blue and green light reflected off the ocean, and a brighter artificial light can draw them inland. Streetlights, pool lights, flashlights, lanterns, bonfires and landscape lighting all count. The agency warns that harming a threatened species can bring a federal penalty of as much as $25,000, and that breaking a local lighting ordinance can cost up to $500. It recommends turtle-friendly fixtures and bulbs, and it asks visitors to avoid flash photography and to keep their distance from turtles and marked nests.

• Cape Romain’s big nesting beaches

  Spring arrivals, summer nests · Cape Island and the barrier islands of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

  Refuge staff describe their beaches as the densest nesting ground for the northern loggerhead population outside Florida, with nest protection under way since 1979. The refuge posts signs, flagging and ropes at the tips of several islands where landing is not allowed during nesting season, and the closures can change with bird activity. The islands are reached only by boat, and pets are not allowed. The Sewee Center posts hours of Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and asks visitors to call 843-928-3368 the day of a visit.

• Sick or injured turtles

  Year-round, with more beach traffic in May · Beaches, creeks and marsh

  SCDNR names boat strikes as the leading cause of death for sea turtles in the state and asks boaters to take care in small tidal creeks. To report a sick, injured or dead turtle or a disturbed nest, call 1-800-922-5431. The South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center in Charleston treats patients in partnership with SCDNR, and its recovery area is included with aquarium admission.

Where can you see synchronous fireflies in South Carolina?

• A lottery for the evening show

  Held in early spring; 2027 details were not posted when this was written · Congaree National Park, Hopkins

  The park’s page for the 2026 event described a lottery run through Recreation.gov, with one entry per household, a $1 nonrefundable fee to enter and a $24 fee for winners, and 145 passes for each event night. The 2026 event ran May 13 to 20. The park listed no dates or lottery rules for 2027, so check the park’s firefly page and Recreation.gov in early spring, and treat the 2026 rules as an example, not a promise.

• Rules for a dark forest

  Evenings, with the best viewing usually between 9 and 10 p.m. in the 2026 rules · The Firefly Trail

  In 2026 the gates opened to pass holders at 7:00 p.m. and closed to entry at 8:30 p.m. Visitors had to stay on the marked trail, use only a red light pointed at the ground, keep phones off as lights or cameras, leave pets at home and apply insect repellent before arriving. Catching or disturbing the insects was not allowed. The park warns that thunderstorms are common that time of evening and that rain can slow or stop the flashing.

• What the daytime park is like

  Daytime, May · Boardwalk and trails

  During the firefly event the park closed its visitor center, boardwalk and frontcountry trails at 4:30 p.m. and asked day visitors to be out by then. Call the park at 803-776-4396 for current conditions, and expect the evening to depend on the weather and the water.

When do the shoals spider lilies bloom at Landsford Canal?

• The Canal Trail at Landsford

  Mid-May to mid-June · Landsford Canal State Park

  The 1.5-mile Canal Trail passes remains of the historic canal and views of the rocky shoals where the lilies grow. The park is open daily from daylight to dark and charges $6 for adults, $3.75 for South Carolina seniors, $3.50 for ages 6 to 15, and nothing for ages 5 and under. During lily season permitted outfitters offer guided paddling tours, but the park does not rent boats. Bald eagle nesting season runs from December to May, so keep your voices low near the river. A park page links to a festival called Lily Fest but lists no 2027 date, so call 803-789-5800 to confirm.

• Other flowers at the shoals

  May and June · Landsford Canal State Park

  The state parks wildflower guide lists cardinal flower, Jack-in-the-pulpit, crane-fly orchid, spicebush, spiderwort, Solomon’s seal, fire pink and yellow passionflower among the park’s other flowers, though it gives bloom dates only for the lilies. Treat that list as a checklist of possibilities, and ask at the office what is out.

• Waterfall wildflowers at Station Cove

  Especially April into May · Station Cove Falls Trail, Oconee Station State Historic Site, Sumter National Forest

  The state parks guide calls this trail exceptional for flowers from April into May, naming little sweet Betsy, Canada violet and possibly walking fern. The guide’s timing points to the first part of May, so go early in the month and ask at the site about what is still out.

• Pinkroot and azaleas in Congaree

  April to June · Congaree National Park

  The National Park Service lists Piedmont azalea as flowering April to May, pinkroot from April to June and butterweed from March to June. By May the azalea may be fading, but pinkroot and butterweed can still be in flower along the boardwalk.

What is happening in the Sandhills in May?

• Red-cockaded woodpeckers

  April through June · Pool A area, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

  The refuge reports that its woodpeckers have recovered well and names April to June as the time to watch them nest and forage at the Pool A area. Visitors should stay at least 100 feet from cavity trees, which carry white paint bands. A walk at dawn with binoculars and a patient eye is the best approach.

• Bobwhite calls

  May through July · Oxpen, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

  The refuge advises listening for the bobwhite’s call from May through July. The birds nest on the ground, so keep to trails. The same refuge lists Bachman’s sparrow among its pine-grassland birds and the brown-headed nuthatch and Pine Barrens tree frog around Lake Bee.

• Venus flytrap flowers

  May through June · Coastal Plain and Sandhills of the Carolinas

  Federal wildlife biologists describe white Venus flytrap flowers from May through June, on a plant whose native home is the Coastal Plain and Sandhills of the two Carolinas. It lives in wet longleaf pine savannas and narrow moist strips between streamhead wetlands and pine uplands. Threats include habitat loss from fire suppression and development, and poaching for the plant trade. Look for the flower stalk and never dig the plant.

What is on the coast around the May new and full moons?

• Horseshoe crabs in the marsh

  Around the new and full moons · Beaches and salt marshes

  SCDNR says adult horseshoe crabs come ashore every spring during the new and full moons to spawn. A study led by SCDNR biologist Daniel Sasson, published in 2024, found that spawning in salt marshes is common along the Atlantic coast, and that in South Carolina eggs were sometimes found several miles up creeks and rivers. The researchers also noted that tens of thousands of shorebirds rely on horseshoe crab eggs during migration. Look from a distance, and do not flip or pick up crabs.

• Red knots at Cape Romain

  Spring · Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

  Cape Romain’s shoreline is designated critical habitat for the red knot, a threatened shorebird, and works as a rest stop on its long journey. In spring the birds arrive to forage and build up energy before flying farther north. If a flock is feeding, keep far back, because every flush costs them fuel.

• Diamondback terrapins and alligators

  Spring · Salt marsh and Bulls Island

  The refuge’s spring wildlife list says diamondback terrapins nest in the salt marsh and alligators begin courting on Bulls Island. Slow down on causeways, and give any turtle crossing a road a wide berth.

Which animals are raising young in South Carolina in May?

• Beach-nesting birds

  Spring and summer · Barrier beaches, sandbars and islands

  The refuge’s spring wildlife list names black skimmers, Wilson’s plovers, oystercatchers and least terns among the birds on its beaches. SCDNR explains that seabirds such as terns and skimmers nest in dense colonies on islands and barrier beaches, while shorebirds nest alone with camouflaged eggs. Seabirds defend a nest by diving and calling, and a shorebird may run or fake an injury to lead you away. If a bird is doing any of this, you are too close. Keep to the wet sand, respect signs and ropes, and keep dogs away.

• Forest and swamp nesters

  Migration continues and nesting is in full swing in May · Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Francis Beidler Forest

  The Santee refuge says painted buntings usually arrive in mid-April to set up territories, and that in May migration continues while nesting is in full swing. At Audubon’s Francis Beidler Forest, researchers study nesting prothonotary warblers in the Four Holes Swamp, and a banding station tracks the survival of breeding birds. The 1.75-mile boardwalk is open Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so that is when to go for a good look.

• Wading birds and wild turkeys

  Spring · Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

  The refuge says that in spring ibis, wood storks, egrets and herons feed in its impoundments, wild turkey chicks hatch, bobcats breed and snakes become more active. Purple gallinules and swallow-tailed kites become easier to see in summer. A slow drive and a scope will give you views without a step off the road.

• Fawns

  Late spring · Fields, forest edges and yards

  SCDNR advises that an apparently orphaned fawn should be left alone, because it is natural for a doe to leave her fawn by itself for the first few weeks of life. A fawn that is handled or disturbed may be abandoned. If you know the mother is dead, call SCDNR in Columbia at 803-734-3886 or in Charleston at 843-953-9300. Never adopt a fawn as a pet.

What is May weather like in South Carolina, and what storms should you watch?

• Thunderstorms and tornadoes

  Spring, when fronts are active · Statewide

  State climatologists average roughly 14 tornadoes per year across 1950 to 2017, rising to roughly 26 per year for 1990 to 2017, a jump they credit largely to better radar. They link spring twisters mostly to cold fronts that stall or sweep through. Keep weather alerts switched on, learn where you would shelter, and take a thunderstorm warning seriously on any evening walk.

• Lightning

  Afternoons and evenings · Open beaches, lakes and fields

  The National Weather Service reports that lightning claims about 20 lives across the country in a typical year, with hundreds more injuries, and urges “Flash, Dash Inside.” At the first rumble, get into a building or a hard-topped car.

• The start of hurricane season

  Season begins June 1 · Coast and inland

  The National Weather Service lists the Atlantic hurricane season as June 1 to November 30. Hazards it names include storm surge, inland flooding and tornadoes in outer rain bands. May is a good time to learn your evacuation zone.

• Wildfire after the peak

  Late winter to early spring, tapering by May · Pine country and the coast

  The Forestry Commission’s fire season is late winter into early spring, so May is past the worst. About 98 percent of the state’s wildfires are started by people. Anyone burning yard debris must first tell the agency, and a local ban may still apply.

Is there any freeze risk left in South Carolina in May?

How much daylight does South Carolina gain in May?

What is in South Carolina’s night sky in May 2027?

• Eta Aquariid meteors

  Mornings of May 5, 6 and 7, in the hours before dawn · Low in the east, from a dark spot

  Meteors from Halley’s comet streak out of Aquarius between about April 19 and May 28, but by our own calculation the true maximum comes around 11:26 a.m. EDT on May 6, after sunrise, so the mornings on either side are the ones to use. With the Moon new that very day, 2027 is rated an excellent year. SeaSky quotes up to 60 an hour at best, mostly for the Southern Hemisphere, and about 30 for northern viewers. The constellation lifts into view barely an hour or two before daybreak, so a realistic tally for South Carolina is 10 to 30 an hour during the final dark stretch.

• The Flower Moon and a seasonal Blue Moon

  Full at 6:59 a.m. EDT on May 20; the round Moon rises on the evening of May 19 · Rising in the east around sunset

  The Old Farmer’s Almanac traces the name to the profusion of spring blooms. Spring by the astronomer’s calendar began March 20 and contains four full moons, those of March 22 and April 20, this one and the June 19 one; counting the third of four as a Blue Moon makes this one qualify, though no month in 2027 has two full moons, which is the more familiar rule. Moonrise on Wednesday, May 19 comes near 8 p.m., and the disk looks round that evening and again the next.

• Mercury after sunset

  Best from about May 12 to June 5, with May 27 and 28 closest to the greatest separation · Low in the west-northwest, 45 to 90 minutes after sunset

  Mercury reaches its widest evening separation from the Sun, 22.8 degrees (9:14 a.m. EDT on May 28), which makes May 27 and 28 the pick of the evenings. It is brightest around mid-May and dims quickly into June. An open view to the west-northwest helps, and binoculars make the first sighting easier.

• Jupiter, Mars and the Moon

  Evening of May 12 for Jupiter; May 13 for Mars · High in the southwest after dark

  By our calculation, around dusk on May 12 a Moon just short of half lit hangs about 1.2 degrees from Jupiter, which stands high in the evening sky. On May 13 it sits roughly three degrees from Mars, a dimmer, orange-tinged point that, by our figures, goes down near 2 a.m. when the month opens.

• Venus and Saturn before sunrise

  Mornings of May 6 to 8 · Very low in the east, in the half-hour before sunrise

  By our calculation the two sit about 0.6 degrees apart on May 7, close enough to fit one binocular field. Thirty minutes before sunrise they are only a few degrees up, which makes this a difficult catch that calls for a clear, flat eastern horizon.

• The Milky Way’s return

  May 1 to 14 and May 25 to 31 are the darkest windows · Low in the south in the dark hours before dawn

  The galaxy’s bright core climbs in the south after midnight this month. Windows computed for the central United States are the first two weeks, when the Moon is thin or absent, and the final week, once the waning Moon has set.

What can South Carolina families do outside in May 2027?

Safety notes for May in South Carolina