Butterfly tagging begins in Saugeen Shores – Adios Amigos

August in Saugeen Shores is a busy time and, for butterfly enthusiasts, it’s the time to begin tagging.

On Saturday, August 16th, volunteers of all ages gathered at Rotary Perkins Park butterfly gardens in Southampton where they hoped to hopefully catch and tag Monarch butterflies.

 

                                               Volunteers gathered for butterfly tagging instructions

 

It’s always a ‘catch-as-catch-can’ situation and, fortunately, some achieved what they had always wanted to do … net a Monarch.

  Mariane Heathers and Ken captured a butterfly in memory of         their (deceased) daughter Monica who “loved butterflies”

For larger views CLICK on Images

 

The butterflies are captured, tagged and all details are recorded so that, if they are found during their migration to Mexico, their numbers are retained.  The tags maintain details of where they have been tagged, their gender and the date of their tagging.  After each butterfly is tagged, it is released with an ….. Adios Amigos send off to Mexico!

Saugeen Shores Butterfly Gardens was the initiative of local avid butterfly enthusiasts, Southampton residents Kerri Jarvis and Melitta Smole.  Together the couple, working with various organizations and local elementary schools, has established many butterfly gardens known as pods throughout the area.