Our 2011 season is over and the tagging was successful and the butterflies are on their way.
Thanks to those of you who braved the cool temperatures to help us tag and release the Monarchs and start them on their way to Mexico.
The remaining Swallowtails; Giant, Tiger, Spicebush and Pipevine were released into the gardens. Their caterpillars are getting ready to pupate and they will be in diapause until next spring. Enjoy these pictures and we will look forward to seeing you in the spring of 2012.
Scotty is as excited about taking close up pictures as the rest of us were with the tagging.
Check out the close up of the tag below. These amazing creatures will fly all the way to Mexico and the University of Kansas Monarch Watch program will contact us if this butterfly is found. To learn more about this wonderful program check out monarchwatch.org.
Last Sept. 18, the Monarchs left for Mexico
Our 1st annual release was lots of fun, but the tags were way laid.
Visitors caught the Monarchs with butterfly nets and all of us became children as we attempted to catch these winged wonders. Gregg and some of the taller folks helped out immensely and everyone had a chance to participate as we "released" all but 10 of the remaining Monarchs to begin their Migration. The tags went to Louisville but finally arrived on Monday and we had a school group visit the following week and they tagged the final 10 and release them.
Enjoy the pictures of our participants and come join us in the spring as we open Flying Flowers again.
Lecture about the Monarch Migration, attendees listened intently all the while wanting to get into the house and start tagging.
Master Naturalist volunteer, Ellen Schaack, shows one of our little visitors a spicebush caterpillar.
We found lots of Black Swallowtails caterpillars- They were devouring the Parsley and added to the fun of the day. Here are a couple more below.
Mom you caught a butterfly! Now what?
A Monarch is busy laying eggs totally oblivious that we are busy attempting to catch them so they can begin the migration. The eggs may hatch but with cold weather coming it will be their demise.
Look at all the eggs the monarch just deposited on the Milkweed.
The whole family is in on the release, first you catch them, then you tag and finally the release. What a fun way to spend a beautiful Sept. morning.
Here is one of our released Monarchs who would rather hang out than fly away. She stayed on the hat for almost 30 minutes and finally decided to start her long journey to Mexico.
Here is a close up of the tag on the butterflies hind wing. This was taken at shot of tagging we did at a school last year. As you can see the "tag" is a small sticker which contains a code number, an 800 number and information on how to call when the monarch is found.
If you would us to come to "your" school and have your students participate in this activity let us know. We can provide the larvae ( a monarch caterpillar) and the necessary food, a common milkweed,which the students can raise and then watch the life cycle unfold in their classroom. A perfect illustration of metamorphosis right in front of them. When the adults hatch, they will tag it and release it and your class will be listed on Monarch Watch as a release site and the students can monitor the site and watch for the Monarchs progress.
To participate call, this coming year,276-621-4511 or email beagleridge@gmail.com
