All of our babies are gone!

[Deb]

We released the last three tagged monarchs that we reared this year. Our tag count was just over 200. We hoped to do more but lost a lot of cats and chrysalis to tacnids this year. Probably 1/3 or better. We put cages inside of cages to try and help prevent this.....but this was the worst year we have had with tacnids.

I am excited to see if any of our babies make it to Mexico, though I know they could make it and not be reported. Last year we tagged about 100 and none of our tags showed up on the recovery list....I am confident that we will keep the doing this regardless of any tags showing up because we just love it. But it would be nice to see our tags show up on the recovery list!

It is such a joy rearing monarchs....miricles each and everyday.....from the first seeds you put in the dirt until (today) when you release the last monarch and watch as it uses all of it's might flying up into the north wind. What a joy!
Debra

[texas butterfly]

You did good.

Tagging, Raising and observing Monarchs is so much fun.

Just saw one flying in my front yard.

I have several cats on milkweed in my backyard.

I tagged 50 this year, but will plan on getting lots more tags next year.

I'm agree too, keep tagging even if they never get found in Mexico. If they are found then that is so much more data that is valuable to track the migration path and success of more butterflies. And we don't tag then we will never know.

I was told recently by someone who would probably know that NO tagged Monarchs from the Houston area have ever been recovered. Maybe they aren't going to Mexico. Maybe they are staying residents in Houston. Maybe they are going to other locations in Mexico. Maybe we aren't tagging enough butterflies to know for sure.

[Deb]

Thanks for the compliment. 50 is a big deal too. Anything done to help habitat is awesome.

That is very odd about the tagged monarchs in Houston. I wonder if they are going to southern CA. Maybe? I know a lot of monarch west of the rockies go there right? not so sure about those that goes to southern CA really. Still trying to get a grip on all that goes on with the ones around here.

If you find out lets us know. (where they are going).... I want to know all I can about them.

Also we have native (common) milkweed seeds of you want any....(for free just send address) Anything I can do to help I am glad too.

Keep up the good work fellow traveler! Share pics too if you have them. That would be great.

Debra

[Mona Miller]

http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/recoveries.htm
Tag Recoveries

http://www.monarchwatch.org/scgi-bin/search2.pl
I put Texas in the recovery search.

This is a search on Texas for recoveries:
http://www.monarchwatch.org/scgi-bin/search_results2.pl