A team of scientists in Cambridge is researching the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, and they are asking the public to help.
This is the time of year that the insects set off on the first leg of their trip to Mexico, and monitoring them can provide a lot of valuable information about their environment. As an indicator species, their numbers and patterns tell a lot about their ecosystem.
Some of the monarchs in the area have been tagged with a small, round sticker on one of their wings. According to program scientist Jena Quinn, this does not hurt them, nor is it heavy enough to interfere with their flight. If someone finds one, they are asked to contact the Monarch Watch, which has been tagging and compiling the data they receive since 1992. A booklet printing company can produce informational materials that let the public know more about the program, what they can do to help, and also how to handle any tagged monarchs they find without hurting them.
Depending on where the tagged butterfly is found, it can provide them with information about how far it has traveled, which migration route it followed, and whether it was blown off course in a storm or other high wind.
It is hoped that the data collected will be able to be put to use in protecting this species, which has shown a decline in recent years.
