Every year thousands of Monarch Butterflies leave the US and begin their migration to Mexico. The peak season for migration in Iowa is September 6th through September 20th. Kids can learn more about Monarch butterflies and learn how to tag them at one of these educational events in the Des Moines area.
Monarch Butterfly Tagging – Des Moines Parks and Recreation
Fall is the season for Monarch Migration and Des Moines Parks and Recreation will be capturing and tagging Monarchs while they are on their way south. Learn more about it and take part in the fun at one of the programs offered. These are all FREE events and everyone is invited to take part.
When & Where:
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016 at Ewing Park, Des Moines 10:30 am
Thursday, August 25th.2016 at Sargent Park, Des Moines 5:30 pm
Saturday, August 27th, 2016 h at Gray’s Lake, terrace ara, Des Moines 12:00 pm
Thursday, September 8th, 2016 at Franklin Gardens, Des Moines 10:00 am
Saturday, September 24th, 2016 at Des Moines EXPO, Water Works Park, Des Moines 10:00 am
Saturday, September 24th, 2016 at Ewing Park, Ashley Okland Playground, Des Moines 12:00 pm
Monarch Tagging – Polk County Conservation
Come learn about one of the world’s most talked about butterflies and what makes them so unique with Polk County Conservation. Try your hand at catching and tagging monarchs as they migrate back to their winter home in Mexico. You will also be looking for milkweed that has ripened to collect the seed and plant more habitat for monarch butterflies!
When & Where:
Saturday, August 27th, 2016 at Chichaqua Longhouse, Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt, Maxwell 1:00 pm
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016 at Jester Park Lodge, Granger 6:30 pm
Monarch Madness – Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge
Calling all citizen scientists! Help collect and tag butterflies on their migration south through the refuge! Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is looking for volunteers to assist refuge staff in capturing, tagging, and releasing monarch butterflies. The tags help them, and the Monarch Watch program, learn more about these amazing insects’ long migration to Mexico and back. Pre-registration is required, and limited to the first 100 participants. Register by calling 515-994-3400 or emailing Brianna at brianna_patrick@fws.gov.
When: Saturday, September 10th, 2016 9:00 am – 11:00 am.
Where: Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge, Prairie City
Monarch Tagging – Warren County Conservation Board
Discover more about monarch butterflies, their unusual lifestyle and life cycle and their miraculous migration to Mexico. A Warren County Conservation Naturalist will teach you how to catch and handle a monarch, determine gender, and properly tag them in the wild as part of a national research project. All monarchs will be released after they are tagged. Bring a butterfly net if you have one, or share a park net if you don’t. Fun for the whole family! Please register by the day before. To register, call (515) 961-6169 or register on-line.
When & Where:
Sunday, September 11th, 2016 at Annett Nature Center, Indianola 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Saturday, September 17th, 2016 at Buxton Park, Indianola 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Monarch Festival – Blank Park Zoo
Join Plant.Grow.Fly. and the Blank Park Zoo’s partners as they highlight the miraculous migration of the monarch butterfly. They will have a fun-filled day of monarch-themed crafts and activities and even a Bug Parade, where kids can dress up as their favorite insect!
When: Sunday, September 18th, 2016 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines
How will your family experience the monarch butterfly migration this fall in Des Moines? Share with us in the Comments below.
