Since 2012, Ohio Sea Grant/Stone Lab has partnered with the Lake Erie Nature and Wildlife Center in a Monarch monitoring and education program reaching more than 3000 people annually. With the help of citizen scientists, approximately 1500 animals have been tagged on several island properties, 8 of which have been recovered in Mexico. Starting a Monarch Waystation can be done by planting milkweeds and other flowering plants, in as much space as you have available. To certify your Waystation and make sure that you’re doing it right, go to the Monarch Watch website at monarchwatch.org/waystations/certify.html and follow the directions there. Participating in the tagging program requires a bit more work but is very rewarding. Tags can be obtained from Monarch Watch, and the process of catching, tagging, and releasing the butterflies is simple; anyone who is interested, including small children, can be a part of this.
