Afer measuring, recording data and tagging, came my favorite part: release. For just a moment, this monarch rested on an open palm before taking flight. Where will those wings take it? It’s incredible to imagine that a butterfly leaving Wisconsin could be beginning an epic journey all the way to Mexico…

What happens after you catch a monarch? Citizen science! We measured, determined the sex, then carefully placed a numbered Monarch Watch tag on the discal cell of its wing. If a tagged butterfly is recovered somewhere along its migration, researchers can learn a little more about its remarkable journey. Next step? Release!

Butterfly net in hand, I joined a group at Havenwoods State Forest to learn about monarch tagging and migration. First rule: don’t chase a butterfly in flight. Wait until it’s nectaring, approach carefully, and pause. When a monarch landed on a blazing star spire, I gave it a try…one quick scoop & swoop, and success!

Walking through a prairie examining milkweed plants for butterfly eggs, I learned about the monarch’s life cycle, what to look for on the leaves, and how citizen science observations contribute to a bigger picture. Now, when I see monarchs fluttering in my own neighborhood pollinator garden, I wonder…could one of those butterflies be preparing for … More Milkweed & Monarchs

Yesterday, I would have walked right past it. Today, I went looking for future butterflies! I joined the Urban Ecology Center’s monitoring project, whre I learned how to search milkweed leaves for monarch eggs. Look close…a tiny white dot becomes a future butterfly, and suddenly an ordinary milkweed leaf holds the beginning of an extraordinary … More Future Butterfly