More On The Monarch Butterfly

Several years ago we were docked at one of the Canadian Islands in Lake Erie during the butterfly migration. I became very intrigued with the many different species on flight. I captured many beautiful zebra monarch butterflies on milkweed pods with my camera. It was after researching the tiny creature that I learned of the natural defense they absorb from this plant. (explained in my previous blogging of Wednesday)

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This article was taken from the area newspaper of Wednesday. I thought it was of such interest that I am choosing to add it to my posts to further explain the activity in our area of people interested in the beautiful creature of God's creation.

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Back to the Wild's Mona Rutger showed off caterpillars and chrysalides during a presentation for Hocking College students on Tuesday, as well as educating them on tagging monarch butterflies. Curious about tagging butterflies? Well, put away the tranquilizer gun and trade in that itchy trigger finger for a gentler touch. Researchers have been studying the monarchs’ migration patterns for years, and groups like Monarch Watch have spearheaded citizen-scientist efforts to track the butterfly’s flight patterns from the U.S. to Mexico. Scientists devised a way to “tag” butterflies at the point of capture, with others recording the tag numbers when the butterfly is found in Mexico or elsewhere. Each fall, nearly 100,000 people participate on Monarch Watch’s tagging activities to promote conservation of the butterflies. The data provides insight on the migration path, survival rate and more. The butterflies are caught by net late in the evening or early in the morning, when feeding on flowers or roosting on foliage. Researchers grab the bug’s wings with one hand — using a gentle grip — and then place a sticky tag with a waterproof number on the underside of the butterfly’s hind wing. Each individual tag is recorded in a database at the point of capture and discovery. Want to learn more? Visit monarchwatch.org, where you also search a database of tagged butterfly data. *copied from the Sandusky Register of September 15, 2010