Rosetta McClain Monarch Tagging

Volunteers have been tagging Monarch butterflies at Rosetta McClain Gardens since 2015.  The volunteers, Terry and Betty, have been paying for these tags out of pocket and we have been talking about giving them a hand with a fundraiser, so here it is!  The cost of tags is about $600 U.S. per year and from that money the workers in Mexico are paid $5 for each tag they find.  The work being done is remarkable.  Not only are the volunteers in the garden daily for about 6 weeks but they educate park goers, give talks to various clubs in the area and beyond, and have accumulated significant data regarding the behaviour of the butterflies.  This is what they do with each butterfly they net:

·        Determine the gender, weigh, measure, assess condition and colour, take the temperature and try to get a heat signature of each butterfly.  The tag itself only weighs .007 grams and each tag has a unique number

They have discovered a number of things over the years:

·        Males migrate before females

·        Males weigh on average .1 to .2 g more than females

·        Generally, males outnumber females by approximately 75% to 25%

·        Monarch temperature is 4C above ambient temperature

·        Few Monarchs make it to Mexico if tagged after October 1st

·        Peak tagging period at our latitude is between August 15th and September 15th

·        Monarchs can fly up to 100 kilometers per day but most fly slower

·        Monarchs found in better condition at Rosetta have a better chance of making it to Mexico

·        Monarchs with a redder wing have a better chance of making it to Mexico as the redder the wing, the more fat they have stored

·        Weight can vary during the day.  A butterfly netted in the morning and caught again in the afternoon can lose or gain weight within hours due to the amount eaten.

·        Migrating Monarchs orientate themselves toward the sun and the lake

As you can see, the work they’ve put in has been important scientifically, and it also educates the public.  If you can donate, it would be much appreciated.  If we have any money left over it will be donated to Monarchs and Their People in Mexico.  They are doing amazing work in recovering the tags and preserving the area.