The Monarch Monitoring Project field season begins on Friday, Sept. 1, and our public programs begin a week later. We hope to see many monarch enthusiasts in Cape May this fall at our various programs. Here's the schedule:
Monarch tagging demos: Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from Sept. 8 through Oct. 15.
Our demos take place at 2:00 pm under the East Shelter at Cape May Point State Park -- that's the covered picnic pavilion adjacent to the Hawk Watch platform. No registrations are required and no fee is charged, though contributions to the Monarch Monitoring Project are accepted.
Each demo begins with a talk about monarch biology, conservation, and our team's work (above). After about 30 minutes we break into smaller groups, each led by one of our team members who will tag one or more monarch butterflies and carefully explain the process (below).
Monarch Monitoring Project Drop-In: Mondays through Thursdays, Sept. 11 - Oct. 26
Join us at 1:00 pm at the Triangle Park, at the junction of Lighthouse and Coral Avenues in Cape May Point, for a relaxed visit with one or more members of our team. Usually there will be monarchs to tag, and it's also a chance to learn about monarch biology and the development of gardens that benefit monarchs. You'll even have a chance to help care for this wonderful butterfly garden. You might also get to be the launching pad for a newly tagged monarch (below). There's no fee for this program, though contributions are accepted.
Monarchs on Migration Full Day Workshop: Tuesday, October 3
Spend a full day learning about monarch butterflies with Mark Garland, Director of the Monarch Monitoring Project, and other members of the team. There will be opportunities for each participant to learn how to tag monarchs. See how to raise monarchs in a controlled environment with a visit to the CMBO Northwood Center. We'll visit several butterfly gardens and identify the other butterflies that are visiting Cape May Point. Register here: https://www.regonline.com/Builder/site/tab2.aspx?EventID=1924262&EventSessionID=&editmode=0&view=
Informal learning opportunities
Stop by the CMBO Northwood Center any day to see our display with monarch caterpillars and chrysalides; if you're looking, you may see metamorphosis in action! Also, our team will be catching and tagging monarchs all around Cape May Point every day in September and October. You'll know us by the butterfly nets! Feel free to stop, chat, and learn about our work.