Monarch Butterfly Tagging

Celebrate the start of the monarch butterfly migration with a community science event at the EcoLab! Please meet at the St. Francis Colonnade at 12pm.

Monarch butterflies have started their annual migration down to Mexico! Mid to late September is the peak time to see monarchs travel across Indianapolis. To celebrate the migration, and to help the local area get involved with a unique community science opportunity, the EcoLab will be hosting a butterfly tagging event. Attendees will be able to help capture, attach butterfly-safe tracking stickers, then release wild monarch butterflies. This data will be sent to the Monarch Watch organization, which keeps track of butterfly sightings and their path down to their winter hibernation sites. This event is a great way to help actively participate in the research and protection of this beautiful species. If you are raising monarchs at home you are welcome to bring your mature butterflies for tagging and release.

This event is family friendly, open to the public, and free to attend. Please park near the St. Francis Colonnade. We will meet by the fountain and guide visitors down into the EcoLab afterwards. This event will involve going off the trails and into our prairie. All visitors must wear the following in order to go off trail: closed toed shoes, socks that fully cover your ankles, and long pants. There may be poison ivy and insects present, so please participate at your own risk. Guests will be asked to sign a release waiver before participating. Feel free to bring any butterfly nets if you own them!