Monarch Watch Update September 2023

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Greetings Monarch Watchers!

A brief update this time around as we wrap up our fall events and begin to think about catching our breath – fall is a busy time for us, as you can imagine. If you have contacted us recently and not yet received a response, thank you for your patience!

Included in this issue:
1. Summary of Monarch Watch Fall Events
2. Monarch Watch Tagging Kits
3. Submitting Tag Data
4. Monarch Calendar Project
5. Send us your photos, videos, stories, and more!
6. About This Monarch Watch List

1. Summary of Monarch Watch Fall Events

As the monarch migration continues, we are wrapping up our local fall events and want to thank everyone who visited us in person or otherwise participated in our events and activities. It is extremely gratifying to see so many people enjoying what we do and to hear how their experiences with monarchs have enriched their lives. We couldn’t do what we do without the support and participation of all of the Monarch Watchers out there, so THANK YOU!

Some event photos appear on our Facebook page and we plan to share lots more with you soon!

MONARCH WATCH TAGGING EVENT
Last weekend more than 400 monarch enthusiasts joined us at the Baker Wetlands Discovery Center for our annual monarch tagging event. We provided the tags, nets, and instruction then sent taggers out into the field to tag and release monarch butterflies as a part of our long-term mark and recapture program. By the end of the 4-hour event, more than 550 monarchs had been tagged and sent on their way to Mexico.

MONARCH WATCH FALL OPEN HOUSE
Two weeks ago, we welcomed hundreds of visitors of all ages to Monarch Waystation #1 at Monarch Watch headquarters in Lawrence, KS. They made seed balls, took a chrysalis or two home, got their faces painted, watched tagging demonstrations, played with balloon butterflies, enjoyed our garden, experienced monarchs emerging from their chrysalis, tried their hand at origami, discovered braille, learned about monarchs, milkweed, nature and a whole lot more – all thanks to a dedicated group of staff, students and volunteers that Monarch Watch is lucky to have. It was a great day!

CHIP IN FOR MONARCH WATCH
The 2023 Chip in for Monarch Watch fundraising campaign is coming to a close but there is still time to Chip in! If you are in a position to offer financial support to Monarch Watch, please consider making a donation of any amount during our fall campaign.

We encourage you to spend a little time on the Chip in for Monarch Watch page – the connections that are facilitated by monarchs and Monarch Watch are truly extraordinary.

Chip in for Monarch Watch: https://monarchwatch.org/chip

2. Monarch Watch Tagging Kits

Tagging Kits are still available for those of you in southern locations and if you order today, they should arrive within 7-10 days via USPS First Class Mail.

Monarch Watch Tagging Kits are only shipped to areas east of the Rocky Mountains. Each tagging kit includes a set of specially manufactured monarch butterfly tags (you specify quantity), a data sheet, tagging instructions, and additional monarch / migration information. Tagging Kits for the 2023 season start at only $15 and include your choice of 25, 50, 100, 200, or 500 tags.

Monarch Watch Tagging Kits and other materials (don’t forget a net!) are available via the Monarch Watch Shop online at https://shop.monarchwatch.org – where each purchase helps support Monarch Watch.

2023 datasheets and instructions are available online via the Monarch Tagging Program page at https://monarchwatch.org/tagging

Tagging should begin in September and early October in areas south of 35N latitude. See a map and tables with expected peak migration dates and suggested dates to begin tagging on the Monarch Tagging Program page at the link above.

3. Submitting Tag Data

Many of you have already submitted your 2023 season monarch tag data to us via mail, our online submission form, or our mobile app – thank you! If you haven’t submitted yours yet (even for previous years) please do so at your earliest convenience. Please review the “Submitting Your Tagging Data” information on the Tagging Program page at https://monarchwatch.org/tagging

There is a large “Submit Your Tagging Data” button on our homepage that will take you directly to the online form. There you can upload your data sheets as an Excel or other spreadsheet file (PREFERRED; download a template file from https://monarchwatch.org/tagging ) or a PDF/image file (scan or photo). You may also record and submit your data via the Monarch Watch mobile app (iOS & Android).

If you have any questions about getting your data to us, please feel free to drop Jim a line anytime via JLOVETT@KU.EDU

4. Monarch Calendar Project

For those of you participating in our Monarch Calendar project for 2023 (complete details and short registration form at https://monarchwatch.org/calendar ), observation Period 2 has ended (the final date being September 25th, for those of you south of 35N). Once you have logged all of your observations using whatever format works for you (spreadsheet, notebook, calendar, etc.), please use the appropriate online form to submit your data to us:

2023 Submission Forms:

SOUTH (latitude less than 35N)
Form for Period 1 (15 March – 30 April): https://forms.gle/wcUEvi1qQhyaQcot8
Form for Period 2 (1 August – 25 September): https://forms.gle/jDvXMbdnsktn1oNF8

NORTH (latitude greater than 35N)
Form for Period 1 (1 April – 20 June): https://forms.gle/tCF26JhaCPYD8Ubm7
Form for Period 2 (15 July – 20 August): https://forms.gle/HDZ4yPMpBpVu9dfh6

You may also use the Monarch Watch mobile app to record and submit your observations. Please see https://monarchwatch.org/app

5. Send us your photos, videos, stories, and more!

We are always looking for monarch photos, videos, stories and more for use on our website, on our social media accounts, in our publications, and as a part of other promotional and educational items we distribute online and offline to promote monarch conservation and Monarch Watch.

There are several ways you can send us your favorite files (please only submit your own materials) and all of the methods below are accessible via https://monarchwatch.org/share

1. Main submission form at https://monarchwatch.org/share/submit
This is the form we prefer you use as it is the most comprehensive and allows you to provide complete information.

2. Quick uploader for photos and videos at https://monarchwatch.org/share/photos
Note that this method does not allow you to include contact or other information.

3. If you have issues using either of the tools above you may also email your submission to us at share@monarchwatch.org but please include everything we ask for on the main form by copying/pasting the information below into your email message (or use it as a guide).

Name:
Email address:
Do you want to be credited when we use your materials, when feasible?
Name as you would like it to appear in credit:
Description of materials or other comments (for photos and videos this should include an approximate date of capture and location):

Please note that by sharing materials with Monarch Watch you agree to the statements provided at https://monarchwatch.org/share regarding their origin and use. Thank you!

6. About This Monarch Watch List

Monarch Watch ( https://monarchwatch.org ) is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program affiliated with the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at the University of Kansas. The program strives to provide the public with information about the biology of monarch butterflies, their spectacular migration, and how to use monarchs to further science education in primary and secondary schools. Monarch Watch engages in research on monarch migration biology and monarch population dynamics to better understand how to conserve the monarch migration and also promotes the protection of monarch habitats throughout North America.

We rely on private contributions to support the program and we need your help! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. Complete details are available at https://monarchwatch.org/donate or you can simply call 785-832-7386 (KU Endowment Association) for more information about giving to Monarch Watch.

If you have any questions about this email or any of our programs, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for your continued interest and support!

Jim Lovett
Monarch Watch
https://monarchwatch.org

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