If you are a Monarch Butterfly fan -- and who isn't? -- here's an interesting story for you from my home turf.
Last year was an amazing one for Butterfly Gardens of Saugeen Shores (BGOSS) with the tagging of 893 Monarchs. To top it off, ‘Monarch Watch’, from the University of Kansas, who co-ordinates the tagging program, has just announced that six Monarchs from Butterfly Gardens in Saugeen Shores were recovered in Mexico.
The recovered Monarchs were tagged in late August and early September in Southampton at the Saugeen Golf Course.
“This is quite an unexpected surprise and extraordinary,” said Kerry Jarvis, co-founder of BGOSS. “The odds of having one recovery is rare, but to have six in one year is quite exciting, especially when you consider that there are millions of Monarchs over wintering in Mexico.”
The recovered Monarchs were found in two of the major reserves in Mexico: El Rosario, and Cerro Pelon. They would have traveled a distance of more than 4,500 kilometers. An incredible journey for any flying creature, let alone an delicate butterfly.
Since it began its Community Tagging Days in 2015, BGOSS has tagged over 1,400 Monarchs and now has nine recoveries.
Needless to say, Butterfly Gardens of Saugeen Shores is eagerly awaiting the return of the great-grand children from last summer's migrating Monarchs to grace our community in the next month or two.
We're all hoping that the weather warms up soon to welcome them.
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