Monarch butterflies will be the focus of a special event held in Shenandoah National Park on Sunday, September 24, at Byrd Visitor Center, mile 51 on Skyline Drive.
The event begins at 11:30 a.m. and is free and open to the public, however, there is a $25-per-car entrance fee to the park (good for seven days).
Schedule of activities:
- Wild Side of Shenandoah Ranger Talk, 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Join Ranger Mara for her talk on butterflies and the important role the Park plays in protecting their habitat.
- Interpretive Table & Children’s Activity Table, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Learn all about Monarch butterflies, their biology, and migration, with butterfly activities and coloring pages for kids of all ages. Come color and tag your own paper butterfly!
- Monarch Tagging Demonstration, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Park Rangers will demonstrate and describe the hows and whys of Shenandoah’s Monarch tagging project. Tagged butterflies will be tracked as they migrate south to overwinter in Mexico. Data gathered will help scientists determine Monarch migration patterns, survivorship, and population trends. The Monarch tagging program is being presented in conjunction with the University of Kansas Monarch Watch.
- Monarch Butterfly Release, 3:00 p.m. – Watch as we release the tagged Monarch butterflies!
For more information about special events, visit www.nps.gov/shen/
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