On Saturday, you’ll have the chance to be part of a monarch butterfly’s journey from the Historic Triangle to Mexico.
From 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden, monarch butterflies raised by Master Gardner and Botanical Garden Co-Chair Angela Cingale will be tagged with sticky tags — the tags are light and do not hurt the butterfly — and then released so they can begin their journey south.
“It will take them around a month to fly to Mexico,” Cingale said. “They have to find a nectar source and be sure the weather is with them. Their children and grandchildren will make the journey back.”
Monarch butterflies typically live three to six months, making the trip a one-way affair. The tags contain a phone number so people can call and report where they saw the butterfly. Three of the butterflies made it south from last year’s tagging, which is a healthy number, Cingale said.
The family-friendly event allows participants to hold and tag the butterflies before they are released.
“We had such a good turnout last year,” Cingale said. “We had a 93-year-old come out, young children, all ages are fascinated by butterflies.”
Master Gardner and certified Master Naturalist Barb Dunbar will introduce children and adults to caterpillars at the event, while Cingale will show participants how to handle and release the butterflies.
A donation of $5 for each family is requested.
