Iowa landowners and community members are being asked to help researchers track monarch butterflies as the annual fall migration gets underway.
The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium (IMCC) is seeking reports of areas where monarchs gather in large clusters as they travel south toward Mexico. These roosting sites can provide researchers with valuable information about migration routes and important habitat.
Monarch roosts may include dozens or even hundreds of butterflies clustered together on tree branches. They are most often found in sheltered locations near woodland edges, windbreaks and river corridors. Roosting typically occurs during the evening and early morning hours.
Katherine Kral-O’Brien with the IMCC says reports from landowners and community members can help scientists and conservationists identify important migration pathways and protect key habitats.
Anyone who spots a monarch roost is asked to contact the IMCC at monarchs@iastate.edu. Reports should include the general location, type of tree, estimated number of monarchs, dates observed and photos, if available. The IMCC says reported information will remain anonymous.
Roosting locations can also be reported through Journey North, which helps researchers track monarch migration across the country.
The effort comes as monarch populations continue to face challenges from habitat loss and extreme weather. Iowa is an important part of the monarch migration corridor, making observations across the state especially valuable.
Residents can also assist monarch research through the Project Monarch app. The app allows people to use Bluetooth technology to help locate monarchs equipped with lightweight BlūMorpho tracking tags. The tags use solar energy and are designed to help researchers follow monarch movements.
The IMCC plans to release BlūMorpho-tagged monarchs in Iowa in September as part of a migration research project.
The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium includes more than 50 organizations, including agricultural and conservation groups, businesses, universities, and state and federal agencies.
Source: Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, Iowa State University.
