Tagging Butterflies

Katie, the BV County Naturalist was here today with some monarch butterflies. We talked about the difference between butterflies and moths and male and female monarchs. She also explained monarch migration to us before we put special tagging stickers on the butterfly wings and let them go. We are hoping to hear back from her later in the year if any of our butterflies are found in Mexico!

Here's a monarch that has the tag on it's wing.We are anxiously waiting for it to fly away!

Is it a boy or a girl? We learned that male monarchs have 2 blackdots on their bottom wings.

Megan's mom went caterpillar hunting and was able to find 32 caterpillars for our classroom. We have them in 2 butterfly habitats and are waiting for them to turn into a chrysalis (pupa) and then for them to emerge as monarchs! This caterpillar is already hanging upside down, ready to turn into a chrysalis.