To celebrate the annual migration of monarch butterflies, the Wildlife Department is hosting monarch tagging and roost watches at Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area Oct. 2-6. “Monarchs have begun their extensive journey south.
These amazing butterflies travel up to 3,000 miles to overwintering sites in Mexico,” said Cheyenne Gonzales, biologist with the Wildlife Department. “We will be tagging monarchs in the mornings, and quietly watching the butterflies roost in the evenings.” Weather conditions, including strong winds, rain, and temperature, can impact the timing and path of the monarch’s migration.
The scheduled events will be held regardless of the number of monarchs migrating through Hackberry Flat WMA. Email updates will be sent to registered participants before the event. Registration is required for both the morning and evening events, and participants must be at least 10 years of age.
Registration for each event will close when the participant count reaches 20. Pets are not allowed during the programs. Morning Tagging – Oct.
3-6, 10 a.m. — After a brief discussion of butterfly basics, monarchs collected from the area will be tagged as a group.
Meet at the William H. “Bill” Crawford Building for this hands-on activity. Local school groups will have the opportunity to tag monarchs on Oct.
2. Tagging activities will be limited to the number of butterflies available at the roost site. Evening Roost Watch – 6:30 p.
m.-8 p.m.
— Convoy to a longti.