Learn about monarch butterflies, their magnificent fall migration, the factors that have contributed to their decline and the ways in which humans can help at one of two Monarch Tagging Workshops at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor.
Those who follow monarchs are all too aware that the population has been declining over the last decade and experienced significant drops each year for the last three years. But some experts are hopeful for a modest increase in the number of monarchs this year.
While large-scale habitat restoration remains a high priority in the Midwest, tagging monarchs is an important way of monitoring their numbers and tracking any shifts in the origins of those that reach their winter homes in Mexico. Regional tagging also helps demonstrate how monarchs respond to the physical conditions and quality of the habitats in each area, and it helps understand the overall dynamics of the monarch population.
This hands-on workshop will open with a brief introductory program covering the different stages in the monarch's life cycle, as well as how to raise them from eggs to adults. Afterward, participants will capture and tag as many butterflies as possible. Artwork created earlier this month during Kirsten Christianson's "Monarch Butterfly Paper Project" workshop at Woodwalk Gallery will be on display during the workshops.
Monarch Tagging Workshops will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 29 and 30 in the Marshall Cabin at The Ridges, 8288 County Q, Baileys Harbor. The fee is $10 for Ridges adult members, $13 for adult nonmembers and $5 for ages 18 and younger. Tagging kits will be available for purchase at the workshop for those who'd like to tag monarchs in their own backyards. To register or for more information, call (920) 839-2802 or visit ridgessanctuary.org.