Butterfly tagging
This week the last butterfly in Room 3 emerged from its chrysalis. On Thursday Stan Swan a scientist and local expert on butterflies helped us tag it. We all watched as Stan and Mrs Ryan tagged it with number 500. He carefully held the
butterfly wings together and asked Mrs Ryan to use a toothpick to pick
the special sticker up and place it gently on the butterfly's
wing. The details of our special tagged male butterfly will now go to
the Monarch Butterfly Trust who will then track its movements. When we let the butterfly go today it flew off to one of our Swan plants. It will be interesting to see if we are able to find out where he finally ends up and where he spends his time over the winter. Keep you eyes out for number 500 and any other tagged butterflies. The Monarch butterfly trust want to know of any sightings. Go to this website for more information and to register a sighting. www.monarch.org.nz.
3 comments:
Hi there it is me ruby I liked the different pictures.
I have always wanted to know where Monarch butterflies go in winter,so it will be exciting if someone finds your butterfly!
Unlike the migrating Monarchs in North America, Eastbourne Monarchs may not go very far, as our winter weather stays pretty kind, with lots of handy nectar feed sources. Flowering Kermadec Pohutukawa trees on the Titoki/Oroua St corner often host dozens of Monarchs in August in fact.
Extra: Somewhat in confirmation of this,I'd tagged (GAN989)& released a freshly hatched Monarch in our Tuatoru St garden on May 8th,and (5 days later) spotted her again happily flapping & feeding nearby !
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