Again this September, I will be tagging Monarchs as they pass through our farm on their way south. I order tags from Monarch Watch, a program offered by the University of Kansas; each tiny tag, applied (gently) to the wing, bears a number identifying me as the tagger. Once the Monarchs reach Mexico, local residents look for dead butterflies with tags to send to the program, earning them the equivalent of five dollars. So far, none of my butterflies has been recovered, but many are each year, and the results are mapped. Fascinating, to see that Monarchs from as far north as Newfoundland have made their way to a forests they've never seen.
