Tag recoveries or Sightings

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Reading a number of postings, I noticed mention of tags sighted- such as the two postings on the Monarch Sighting -OK,TX area that detail 3 tag numbers-
And a mention on this topic list of tagged butterflies photographed.
Perhaps a "During Migration Recovering or Sighting Tagged Monarchs" maybe "Yes, they're still On the Road South" topic needs to be added.
I'd sure check out such a topic.. rather than trying to keep up with all sightings south and west of me, since that involves two or more topics to watch.
I'm always anxious after releasing tagged butterflies to know if and when they are sighted. (By anyone anywhere)
Next Summer is a long time to wait. This forum is more in real time to me.
I hope all sightings on the route south are reported by photo, or email and turned in to the data base- not just here on the different forum topics.
AND
I still want to know if any one can participate in the recovery in MX.??

[psi_chemie]

Has there ever been a butterfly tagged in, say Canada, then sighted further south, and then also that same one recovered in Mexico? I guess that would be a dubious improbability, but it would be cool..

[Paul Cherubini]

I still want to know if any one can participate in the recovery in MX.??

Yes, if you have the time, money and dedication. Here's how I have done it. First you drive / walk up to the entrance to the El Rosario Sanctuary and
start showing the people who work there samples of tags. Then you tell them you want to purchase any tags they might have. In a matter of minutes people will come up to you including children with tags they have found http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /gtags.jpg

Better yet, tell the people you will come back the next day at Noon to purchase even more tags. That way the word will spread fast among the local people that an American is in town and ready to purchase tags tomorrow at Noon. You MUST pay in Mexican pesos. You can exchange American dollars for pesos at major Banks in nearly Zitacuaro or Tuxpan. I personally visit the Walmart (called Bodega) in Zitacuaro and get pesos from the ATM machine inside the store by withdrawing money from my checking account.

In recent years the local people and children at El Rosario have found hundreds and hundreds of Monarch Watch tags. So it would take thousands and thousands of dollars to purchase them all. Last year I purchased $1,300 worth of Monarch Watch tags and then ran out of money which dissappointed the people at El Rosario who had hoped to finally be able to cash in their tags http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /pptag.jpg

Dr. Chip Taylor quickly reimbursed me for the $1,300. Naturally you need to check with Chip first before purchasing tags on his behalf to be sure the Monarch Watch has funds to cover the cost.

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Thanks Paul, for the insight of your experience.
Please clarify for me, is the going rate still $5 per tag?
Therefore you bought 260 tags?
(I did notice your name on the data base as having been a recovery person.)
From the photo of the child and tag paper, I assume the tags are removed from the butterflies by the local residents.
Have you, in your travels to the sanctuaries, been able to recover a tagged butterfly? or is that frowned upon as taking away from the local economy/conservation efforts?
Participating in the recovery by purchasing the tags from residents is something I hadn't thought of...
I was asking about- being able to see and collect data or a tagged butterfly while visiting the sanctuaries.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences, I learn so much from this forum!

Rhonda

[Paul Cherubini]

Rhonda, yes the going rate is $5 per tag. The local people take the tags off of dead butterflies they find on the ground. In years with little storm related mortality they don't find nearly many tags as compared to years with high mortality.

I have not personally recovered any tags on living butterflies in the trees in Mexico. The ratio of tagged to untagged monarchs is something like 1 in 10,000 or 1 in 20,000 so there is only a remote chance of ever spotting a tagged monarch in the trees although sometimes people spot tagged monarchs drinking from water puddles on the ground.

How the people of El Rosario find so many tags is a bit of a mystery to me.
American scientists like Chip Taylor and his colleagues have searched through tens of thousands of dead monarchs on the ground and found only a few tags. Yet the local people somehow manage to find 1000+ tags in a high mortality year. I figure the locals must spend a huge amount of time and effort searching for the tags and therefore the $5 price per tag is justified.

The guides at the sanctuaries will let you look for tagged monarchs drinking from water puddles and will let you scan the clusters for tags with binoculars, but won't let you walk up close to the clusters in the trees because then you might scare the butterflies off and would also trample the ground vegetation under the trees.