A monarch butterfly with its newly placed tag. - USFWS photo

Volunteers at the 4th Annual Butterfly Roundup return with monarch butterflies to be tagged. - USFWS photo

Crab Orchard Park Ranger Karin Magera assists first graders in tagging monarch butterflies captured during the 4th Annual Butterfly Roundup. - USFWS photo

More than 125 volunteers assisted in the capture and tagging of migrating Monarch butterflies on Sept. 17, 2005 during the 4th Annual Butterfly Roundup at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.  Each volunteer was supplied with a butterfly net and a brief interpretive program explaining the butterflies' life cycle and migration route.  Peak migration for monarchs migrating through southern Illinois occurs during the last two weeks of September.  As volunteers lined up along the edge of a red clover field in the closed portion of the Refuge, many monarchs could be seen flitting from flower to flower, recharging before continuing on their 2,000 mile journey.  After an hour-and-a-half of slowly sneaking up on these delicate creatures, almost 200 butterflies had been captured and temporarily stored in the "bug dorm."  Ultimately, 88 monarchs were tagged and released; the remaining butterflies were either the wrong species or would not migrate because they were too old.

The Butterfly Roundup is open to the public, and volunteers from age 2 to 62 netted butterflies.  During the last two weeks of September, first graders from local elementary schools participated in an enviornmental education program about butterflies and also assisted in capturing monarchs to be tagged.

Monarchs are tagged each year at Crab Orchard NWR to assist with research through the University of Kansas' Monarch Watch program.  Population changes and migration destinations are monitored annually through this program.

As the Butterfly Roundup continues to grow in popularity, plans are underway to expand next year's Roundup to two weekends!