Monarchs are one of North America’s best-known butterflies, and every year, hundreds of millions of Monarchs migrate south to overwinter in Mexico and the California coast. This phenomenal migration is one of the longest migrations of any insect, and Monarchs can travel up to a total of 3,000 miles to their destination. If you want to learn more about Monarch butterflies and get some hands-on experience with these beautiful insects, join Laura Semken with the Missouri Conservation Corps to explore the Monarch journey and participate in the Monarch Watch community science project.
Monarch Watch is an education, conservation, and research program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on Monarch butterflies. Every fall, the program calls upon citizen scientist volunteers to tag and report data to Monarch Watch. When tagged Monarchs are recovered at stopover sites or at their overwintering site, scientists can calculate how far and for how long that Monarch had been traveling. This data helps researchers track migration patterns and discover more about Monarch biology and behavior. Since the program’s creation in 1992, more than 2 million Monarchs have been tagged and more than 31,000 sites have been registered. Peer-reviewed articles that have utilized data from Monarch Watch can be found here.
Get Involved in Tagging
This fall, educational programs and tagging experiences are being offered at select locations in and near Columbia, MO.
August 25 – September 15
Mondays from 5:30 – 7pm at Overton Bottoms South on Cumberland Church Road
Monarch life stage surveying and potential tagging. No water or bathrooms available. Please RSVP in advance since the location may change.
Formal program dates to explore the Monarch journey and participate in the Monarch Watch community science research project by learning how and why Monarchs are tagged. No need to RSVP.
- Monday, September 22: 5:30 – 7pm at Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO
- Monday, September 29: 5 – 6:30pm at Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO
Drop-in program dates with hike and tagging, along with a migration game. Fun for the whole family! Come for the whole morning or just a little while. No need to RSVP.
- Saturday, September 20: 9 – Noon, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO
- Saturday, September 27: 9 – Noon, Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge Headquarters
Locations:
- Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary at 3300 W Rollins Rd, Columbia, MO 65203
- Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge Headquarters at 18500 Brady Lane Boonville, MO 65233
FYI: Nets will be provided. Water and bathrooms are available at the formal and drop-in Saturday programs. Catching butterflies could involve going off the trail. Boots and long pants are recommended, along with herbal mosquito repellent. Please be sure to wash your hands after applying repellent (Monarchs are insects, so products containing DEET are especially toxic).
All ages are welcome to participate in all programs! Email Laura Semken at [email protected] for more information or to RSVP.
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Allen Photography
