Nature NB has introduced a new method for tracking monarch butterflies in New Brunswick this year, eliminating the reliance on chance encounters to locate tagged butterflies. The organization has deployed Bluetooth-enabled tags, known as BluMorpho tags, on the monarchs in collaboration with the Saint John Naturalist Club, Point Lepreau Bird Observatory, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Unlike the traditional wing tags that require physical recapture for data collection, the BluMorpho tags operate through passive Bluetooth interactions. When individuals with Bluetooth enabled on their phones come within 100 meters of a tagged monarch, the data is automatically logged. The tags, solar-powered and weighing only 0.066 grams, are attached to the butterfly’s thorax with a small antenna running along its abdomen using eyelash glue.
This innovative technology, first implemented in Canada last year, provides valuable insights into monarch migration routes. By downloading the Project Monarch app, anyone can track the tagged butterflies’ journeys. The shift to this advanced tracking system marks a significant improvement over the previous method of relying on numbered wing tags and hoping for sightings along the migration route.
Despite some delays in tag deployment due to border complications, Nature NB plans to release a total of 22 tags by the end of the season, with the potential for an additional 13 if the remaining shipment clears customs in time. The BluMorpho tags have already confirmed the suspected stopover pattern at Point Lepreau, shedding light on monarch movements along the Eastern Seaboard.
The technology not only offers new insights into migration patterns but also highlights the impact of environmental factors such as wind conditions on monarch migration decisions. By tracking individual migration routes, researchers aim to identify key natural corridors that monarchs rely on, enabling conservation efforts to prioritize the protection of these crucial areas.
To follow the tagged monarchs and contribute to conservation efforts, individuals can download the Project Monarch app. The tags deployed in New Brunswick are identifiable by the prefix PLBO, indicating their origin at the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory. Nature NB anticipates tagging a total of 22 monarchs in the province by the end of the season.
