Winnebago Audubon is hosting its popular  monarch tagging event on Saturday, September 2 from 1:00-3:00 pm.  Shannon Davis-Foust and her family have invited us to tag monarchs in their prairie located west of Omro. This event is free and open to the public.

In all the world, no butterflies migrate like the monarchs of North America. They travel up to two thousand miles in the fall to reach central Mexico.  How monarchs find their overwintering site as the great-great-grandchildren of the butterflies that left the site the previous spring remains an unsolved mystery.

The University of Kansas set up the Monarch Watch (www.monarchwatch.org) program to encourage everyone to participate in the monarch migration each year.  They provide the tags and you get to net the monarchs, tag them and release them to fly to the mountains in central Mexico for the winter.  Monarchs that we have tagged in the past have been found in Mexico. Participating in this long-standing citizen-science project provides vital information to researchers on migration patterns and the health of the monarch population.

Learn about the fascinating life cycle and migration of the regal monarch butterfly. We will discuss why and how to tag a monarch. You will then be free to wander the prairie to net monarchs.  Remember to respect the prairie and any wildlife you may encounter.  We will have a tagging station set up to assist you in identifying the gender of your monarch, record the data, tag it, and watch you release it to proceed on its journey.  All ages over 5 are encouraged to participate. We all have an inner child who would love to do this. 

We strongly recommend wearing long pants, socks, and shoes.  We have a limited number of nets available so if you have your own, please bring it along. 

If the weather is questionable and you want to check if we are still going to meet, check our Facebook page or call/text: 920-573-7828.  Rain date will be on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

Directions to 4946 Broderick Rd., Omro: Take Hwy. 21 west out of Omro. Turn right on Broderick Rd and in 1.6 miles look for the red house on the right side of the road.  Parking can be in the driveway or along the road leaving ample room for entering and exiting easily.  Please do not park anyone in!